New research shows that many England local authorities are highly critical of the Government’s proposed planning reforms.

In an analysis of a representative sample of 27 local authority responses to the public consultation on the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has found that right across England, and regardless of political party control, local authorities are very concerned about the proposed changes to national planning policy [1][2].

Their concerns include the definition of sustainable development, the lack of emphasis on reusing brownfield land and the need for appropriate transitional arrangements to ensure a smooth shift to any new system.

Of the 27 authorities sampled:

• 26 thought the definition of ‘sustainable development’ was inadequate.
• Three quarters felt the transitional arrangements for moving from the old system to the new one were insufficient.
• Only one of the nine authorities who commented on the issue thought ‘ordinary’ (un-designated) countryside would be adequately protected from development.
• Two thirds of authorities gave either no or qualified support to the Governments proposed changes to the use of brownfield land.

Kate Houghton, Planning Officer at CPRE, says: “It’s clear that many of the experts working at the coal face of local planning share similar concerns to CPRE about the draft 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.”

The planning reforms have been billed as one of the Government’s key tools for stimulating economic growth. CPRE does not believe that the current planning system acts as a barrier to growth, and many local councils have been critical of what they themselves believe is an over emphasis of economic aims in the draft planning proposals, at the expense of social and environmental factors.

Chancellor George Osborne’s local constituency council, Cheshire East said: “It is acknowledged that economic considerations have for too long been ignored and therefore merit much greater prominence. However the current wording risks over stating the economic case to the detriment of the social and environmental considerations [3].”

Councils also fear ambiguities in the NPPF could lead to more legal appeals. Decentralisation Minister Greg Clark’s local council Tunbridge Wells was damning in saying: “[Sustainable development] will not provide a suitable foundation for decision-making in an adversarial planning system unless it is defined in precise terms for that specific purpose. At present, the NPPF does not do this. It uses a number of different definitions [4].”

Rural councils in particular questioned how well the changes will protect the ordinary, undesignated countryside that makes up over half of England’s rural landscape. Minister for Housing and Planning, Grant Shapps’ local authority Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council’s response to the draft NPPF states: “Protection of the wider countryside has been weakened as there is no longer an explicit reference to the need to protect it for its own sake [5].”

South Cambridgeshire District Council, is also concerned: “The framework does not address the protection of the countryside for its own sake. Landscape, its character and qualities and what it can bring to sustainable development, is not mentioned at all [6].”

Rural councils are not the only ones to be worried. In their response, Leeds City Council states that: “The NPPF is not fit for purpose in tackling housing challenges and opportunities in Leeds and will lead to a significant pressure upon greenfield and Green Belt land, undermining priorities to promote regeneration in inner city/brownfield locations [7].”

Winchester City Council commented: “The phrase ‘land with the least environmental or amenity value’, does not carry the same understanding as ‘brownfield’ and is also ambiguous in that the development industry will readily argue various sites fall into this category [8].”

Kate Houghton concluded: “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.

“We hope that the final framework will offer clear policies which properly integrate economic, environmental and social objectives. Only this will allow planning to fulfil its important role in facilitating genuinely sustainable development.”

End

Notes to Editors
[1] 27 local planning authorities out of a total of 324 London boroughs, metropolitan boroughs, districts and unitary authorities were sampled. Local authorities at this level are responsible for most planning decisions, except ones on major infrastructure. District authorities are not responsible for planning decisions on waste and minerals development. County councils have been excluded from the sample as they are only responsible for planning decisions on waste and minerals development.
[2] The Campaign to Protect Rural England analysis of local planning authority responses to the Draft National Planning Policy Framework was conducted by sampling three local authorities from each English region, one rural, one urban and one rural/urban. Selection of authorities was otherwise random and political affiliation found to be representative of England local authority control nationally. The full report, including our methodology, can be downloaded here: http://bit.ly/uXJeD7

[3] Cheshire East Council, Response by Cheshire East Council to the consultation draft on the National Planning Policy Framework, October 2011, p 90
[4] Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Response to question 1b of the consultation on the draft National Planning Policy Framework, October 2011, p 3
[5] Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, Response to question 15b of the consultation on the draft National Planning Policy Framework, October 2011, p 17
[6] South Cambridgeshire District Council, Response to question 15b of the consultation on the draft National Planning Policy Framework, October 2011, p 29
[7] Leeds City Council, Response to question 10b of the consultation on the draft National Planning Policy Framework, October 2011, p 28
[8] Winchester City Council, Response to draft National Planning Policy Framework, October 2011, p 4

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) fights for a better future for the English countryside. We work locally and nationally to protect, shape and enhance a beautiful, thriving countryside for everyone to value and enjoy. Our members are united in their love for England’s landscapes and rural communities, and stand up for the countryside, so it can continue to sustain, enchant and inspire future generations. Founded in 1926, President: Bill Bryson, Patron: Her Majesty The Queen. www.cpre.org.uk