Planning reforms ‘opposed by most councils’

New research, from the Campaign to Protect Rural England, claims that across the country, and regardless of political control, local authorities are “very concerned about the proposed changes to the policy”.

The survey, which included Leeds, York and East Riding councils, reveals concerns about the definition of sustainable development, the lack of emphasis on reusing brownfield land and the need for appropriate arrangements to ensure a smooth shift to any new system.

Kate Houghton, planning officer at CPRE, said: “It’s clear that many of the experts working at the coal face of local planning share similar concerns to CPRE about the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

“Anxiety over the definition of sustainable development and transitional arrangements are especially prominent. This confirms that a lack of clarity in these areas could severely undermine the planning system.

“Our analysis demonstrates that the Government cannot afford to push through their reforms without taking account of these widely held concerns. Changes need to be made to the planning system, but if we don’t get them right we risk causing long term damage to both our urban and rural landscapes.”

Of the 27 authorities surveyed, 26 thought the definition of sustainable development was inadequate, three quarters felt arrangements for moving from the old system to the new one were insufficient and two thirds of authorities gave either no or only qualified support to proposed changes to the use of brownfield land.

The planning reforms have been billed as one of the coalition Government’s key tools for stimulating economic growth, although the CPRE said the current planning system did not act as a barrier to growth, claiming many local authorities have been critical of an over emphasis of economic aims in the draft proposals, at the expense of social and environmental factors.

Ms Houghton said: “The Government needs to consider very carefully the 14,000 responses to the consultation on the draft NPPF that they have received. If the Government is serious about localism, it must listen to and act on the very real concerns raised by local councils.”

The reforms have prompted criticism with the National Trust leading the campaign, warning the Government not to use the “smokescreen” of a planning free-for-all as a substitute for a proper strategy to boost the economy.

The CPRE has raised concerns that controversial developments such as the Chinese-themed attraction Visions of China in South Yorkshire’s Rother Valley country park could be waved through as controls are loosened.

However last week the think-tank Policy Exchange claimed the proposals did not go far enough, stating that developers should be free to build across swathes of the green belt if less than half of local people lodge an objection.

Comment: Page 10.