Welcome given to planning rule changes

GOVERNMENT plans to streamline the planning system have been broadly welcomed by the property industry.

Planning minister Greg Clark published a new draft “national planning policy framework” intended to set out national priorities.

The move aims to cut the current complicated system – which extends to more than 1,000 pages – to a 52-page document.

Tim Waring, director of Indigo Planning and head of the firm’s Leeds office, said he welcomed the proposals and said sustainable development was “at its heart”.

Mr Waring said: “The Government’s intention to be ‘pro-growth’ is clearly spelt out, forming a ‘golden thread’ to the document. 

“However, the draft NPPF is not a green light for uncontrolled development, and it affords protection to many environmental interests; for instance green belt policy remains largely unchanged and greater powers are proposed for local communities who wish to identify and seek the protection of green spaces.”

Mr Waring also highlighted as positive a number of proposed changes to the policy including an added requirement to provide an excess of 20% of housing development over the current five-year supply; and the removal of the ‘sequential test’ requirement from office development, which he said will assist promoters of office schemes outside town centres.
 

Rob Lucas, chief executive of planning and urban design consultancy Turley Associates, which has an office in Yorkshire, also said there was much to be welcomed.

Mr Lucas said: “The consultation is a brave attempt at simplifying what has become an unwieldy body of policy, reinstating the principle that well conceived development is a good and necessary thing.”
 
“The presumption in favour of sustainable development is the most welcome part of the Framework and is essential if the Coalition Government’s pro-growth agenda is to be met.

“There are gaps in the consultation, but nothing that cannot be filled subsequently in supporting documents and short elaboration. And whilst we do not agree with every last word it crucially provides the policy basis for bringing forward the development we need – the jobs, homes and infrastructure.”

Liz Peace, chief executive of the British Property Federation, said: “Planning policy should be streamlined, succinct and to the point if it is to deliver the growth and sustainable development that this country needs.

“The new draft Framework follows closely the version submitted by the Practitioners Advisory Group which fully incorporated these principles.”

Land Securities’ chief executive Francis Salway said: “It’s refreshing to have a concise national planning framework which supports and encourages growth, and at same time protects our heritage.”

Edwin Morgan, a spokesman for the Institute of Directors, added: “The National Planning Policy Framework is the first step towards a planning system which enables development rather than holding it back.

“The previous approach which produced huge amounts of overly-prescriptive guidance was difficult for applicants to navigate, and did not produce the right development in the right areas.”

However, he added it was important for local authorities to now be given incentives to approve sustainable development in their area.

Following consultation, the final version of the document is expected to be available by the end of the year.

The new guidance will only cover smaller projects which do not fall under the new major infrastructure planning unit.