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Written by rosalind renshaw

The Government should rewrite its proposals for planning reform, an influential group of MPs said this morning.

In particular, the select committee said it should reinstate a policy of ‘brownfield first’ to ensure that brownfield land is used for new developments ahead of countryside.

The MPs also called on the Government to amend its contentious proposal in favour of sustainable development, and to put economic growth lower down the order of priorities.

The calls have come from a cross-party group of MPs sitting on the Communities and Local Government Committee.

The MPs also want the phrase ‘significantly and demonstrably’ to be removed from the presumption that all planning applications should be approved unless the adverse effects ‘significantly and demonstrably’ outweigh the benefits.

Launching his committee’s report into its examination of the draft National Planning Policy Framework, chairman Clive Betts said: “The way the framework is drafted currently gives the impression that greater emphasis should be given in planning decisions to economic growth.

“This undermines the equally important environmental and social elements of the planning system. As currently drafted the ‘default yes’ to development also carries the risk of the planning system being used to implement unsustainable development.

“The document omits any reference to ‘brownfield development first’. We welcome the Government’s openness to reinstating the familiar and well understood term ‘brownfield development’ in the NPPF. For similar reasons the NPPF should be revised to reflect the ‘Town Centre First’ policy.”

The Committee also warned that, as currently drafted, the NPPF defines the phrase ‘sustainable development’ inadequately.

The committee does, however, accept a fundamental of the reforms, saying that a presumption in favour of sustainable development should be ‘a golden thread running through the planning system’.

It is less happy that so many local authorities have yet to adopt Local Plans, calling for enough time to be given to allow councils to do this, and that the NPPF is so short – criticising the Government’s ‘pursuit of brevity’ which means that some parts of the NPPF are not clearly drafted.

Betts said: “The published, final NPPF will be a significant document, with far-reaching consequences. It must be balanced, comprehensive and adequately linked to other relevant central and local government policy documents.

“Now is the opportunity to take on board the suggested changes we are recommending, based on the evidence we have received, to produce a well crafted, effective document, used to inform planning decisions made locally across England that will address social, environmental and economic demands on land supply on an equal basis.”

The British Property Federation this morning called on ministers to resolve the issues surrounding the NFPP.

The BPF said it supports many of the select committee’s findings, particularly the reintroduction of brownfield and town centre first policies.

Comments

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    What do you expect from planners, the bland design free estates they allow Developers to build show thier worth, slums of tomorrow, if they stand that long.

    • 21 December 2011 17:00 PM
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