Planning ahead

Ministers believe that a streamlined strategy is crucial to ensuring that major infrastructure projects do not become bogged down in unnecessary delays and public inquiries.

The counter-argument is that details do matter to the communities concerned, and that Ministers are repeatedly championing the notion of localism.

How, therefore, can local authorities – and individual neighbourhoods – be empowered to take decisions when the Government’s over-arching strategy has to take precedence?

While there does need to be a national framework to ensure, for example, that new houses are built and not left at the mercy of local “Nimby” campaigners, the proposed National Policy Planning Framework appears to be open to countless different interpretations.

A phrase like “sustainable development” could have entirely different meaning in neighbouring authorities. Does it apply to the building materials, the source of energy, the availability of public transport to negate car use or whether the proposed new homes will help shore up the viability of local services?

Given this, and there are countless other ambiguities, it is little wonder that respected groups such as the National Trust and CPRE fear a “planning free for all” unless Ministers think again on both this – and the Government’s failure to identify the potential of brownfield sites that have still to be redeveloped.

While a streamlined planning system could have significant benefits, it will only bring about even more confusion, and inconsistency, unless Ministers bow to reason and strike the right balance between national and local interests.