Comment

Planning Reforms 2020: Local Plans

Although billed as radical reform, yesterday’s changes to plan making may not be as extensive as they first appear and in many ways could represent a step forward.

Yes, planning legislation will essentially be dismantled and written from scratch, but many aspects of the current system will remain and there is a clear emphasis on better utilising the tools we already have at our disposal, such as Local Development and Development Consent Orders.

Simplifying the designation and allocation of land into three categories (growth, renewal and protection) represents an efficient means of directing growth. There is clarity on what role the growth and renewal areas will play.  However for protected areas, there is a risk that local communities will rush to secure such status, which could enable nimbyism on a grand plan making scale. This must be avoided if growth is to be directed in a sustainable and equitable way.

The most significant Local Plan related reform is a shift to more centralised planning, which is consistent with the current Government’s approach to policy making. Local Plans will be expected to do less, with national policy, such as development management policies, filling in the gaps. The standard method for assessing housing need will also be fixed and not open to debate or challenge.

Although the Duty to Cooperate will be abolished, there is still the opportunity for multiple authorities to plan strategically. This, however, would perhaps benefit from greater emphasis as it represents the most workable solution to resolving cross boundary housing distribution issues.

Removing the five year housing land supply test does represent a substantial change to how we measure a council’s housing delivery; instead we will have to rely on the Housing Delivery Test. These are two very different tests, one forward and the other backwards facing. The Government must feel that their growth and renewal area approach will ensure a sufficient future supply, without five year housing land supply how will we test if sites within these areas remain viable and deliverable opportunities after plans are adopted?

We are continuing to consider the full implications of the proposed reforms, but on first analysis we are open to the direction of travel and look forward to influencing how the new framework can deliver swift and effective plan making.

For more information on the implications of Local Plan reforms please contact Tom Armfield.

7 August 2020