By Callum Barton
The long-awaited final draft of the Government’s National
Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was released early this afternoon (March 27),
following an introductory statement to the Commons by Planning Minister Greg
Clark, who presided over the document’s preparation.
The NPPF publication date was announced in George Osborne’s
budget speech last week, with the Chancellor promising that the revised draft
would usher in “the biggest reduction in business red tape ever undertaken”.
This sentiment was clearly echoed in Mr. Clark’s Commons address earlier today,
with the Planning Minister declaring that the “sorely needed” reforms would put
“power in the hands of communities” and “help build the homes the next
generation needs”.
The new-look NPPF is patently trim when compared to its
regulatory predecessor, clocking in at just 59 pages (prior guidelines
exceeded more than 1300). In his speech, Greg Clark explicitly stated his own wish
to move away from a system of planning deemed “too complicated, too costly, too
uncertain”. Yet despite Mr. Clark’s insistence that the document contains “clearly-written
guidance”, shadow communities and local government secretary Hilary Benn warned
that the reforms could create “chaos and confusion” in their ambiguity.
This concern is rooted in the NPPF’s use of the term “sustainable
development”, which was condemned by some as ill-defined flummery. However, under
article 14 of the new document, a presumption in favour of sustainable
development is set to become “the heart of the NPPF”, and “should be seen as a
golden thread running through both plan-making and decision-taking” (pp.4, article 14, NPPF 2012). Sustainable development is in this sense defined by the
Coalition’s revised “guiding principles”, which originally shored up the 2005 sustainable
development strategy.
The new framework has been met with a generally positive
response. John Cridland, the Director General of CBI, stated:
“Future generations will be thankful that the Government has
held its nerve on this. Having a presumption in favour of sustainable
development gets the balance right between supporting jobs and growth, and
serving the interests of the environment and society.”
The National Trust, who generated much opposition to what
was expected in the finalised NPPF, released a press statement welcoming the
revisions, in which the organisation’s Director General Dame Fiona Reynolds
wrote:
“There are a number of important changes that have been made
to the draft, responding to concerns that we and others raised. These include: a
better definition of sustainable development, based on the 2005 sustainable
development strategy (and); the insertion of references to the use of
brownfield land and the need to promote town centres… we welcome improvements
which have been made to the draft.”
Perhaps the most surprising reaction came from the Campaign
to Protect Rural England (CPRE). Although tipped to publicly oppose to the
revisions, the group’s chief executive Shaun Spiers expressed his relief that “Greg Clark (has) recognised the intrinsic value of the ordinary
countryside, 'whether specifically designated or not'”.
He went on to note:
“We are pleased the Minister appears to have listened to the
strong public views, which mirrored our concerns.”
For any questions
relating to today’s publication of the revised National Planning Policy Framework,
please call our Freephone hotline: 0800 148 8911
