Source · Select Committees · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 3
3
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If after reconsideration the Government does continue with the three areas approach, we recommend that...
Recommendation
If after reconsideration the Government does continue with the three areas approach, we recommend that as a minimum: • The Government should clearly explain how Local Plans will impose requirements on developments in an area. At present it appears to be proposing the current planning application system will continue to be available in growth and renewal areas for proposals that would not conform to the local plan requirements. The Government should set out what level of detail will be needed in the Local Plans to ensure that developers and other stakeholders have certainty as to whether prospective developments would be permitted. • Local authorities should set out detailed plans for growth and renewal areas which specify heights of buildings, density of development, minimum parking standards, access to retail, education, transport, health facilities and other local amenities. This may be by way of a planning brief for particular sites, which may be undertaken subsequent to the local planning process and which is subjected to detailed consultation with local people. Developers that propose developments in accordance with such planning briefs would then be invited to undertake such developments. In all such areas, local authorities must be enabled to prevent 100 The future of the planning system in England overdevelopment, particularly in areas of existing housing such as suburban settings. Any proposal deviating from the standards proposed at a local level would otherwise be subjected to the current full planning application process. • The Government should consider the proposals for sub-areas within the ‘renewal area’, where permission in principle would not apply and individual planning permission would be required. • The Government should implement a ‘highly protected’ alongside a ‘protected’ area category. This would enable strong protections for areas that local authorities think need such a shield against development, whilst ensuring development can still happ
Paragraph Reference:
33
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
9. The Government agrees with the Committee that the relationship between plans, national policy and the requirements placed on new development should be made clear. One way the Bill does this, and strengthens democracy as a result, is through giving local plans more weight in law. This will make it harder for local authorities or planning inspectors to make decisions that are contrary to the local plan, which the community will have had opportunities to engage with. Additionally, a new set of National Development Management Policies in the NPPF will save local authorities time, removing the need to repeat things which apply universally, helping them to get plans in place quickly and allowing local leaders to focus on issues that matter most locally. 10. It is widely acknowledged that meaningful and early engagement with local communities and statutory consultees can have many benefits, including the potential to identify and address problems early in the application process which can help speed up decision-making. Statutory consultees will be able to comment on individual sites where they have concerns, as they do in the current system. 11. To support better infrastructure provision through plan making, the Government is introducing a new requirement for Infrastructure providers to provide assistance to Local Authorities in drafting their local plans. This will ensure local authorities get the information they need in a timely manner so that they can identify how infrastructure and new housing development should be sited and provided.