Paul Boyfield’s Post

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has published its Planning Reform Working Paper on ‘Modernising Planning Committees’. The Government states that it wants ‘to encourage better development that aligns with development plans, facilitates the delivery of quality homes’…, and gives applicants the reassurance that in more instances their application will be considfeee by professional officers in a timely manner’. It proposes a national scheme of delegation, dedicated committees for strategic development, and a requirement for councillors tiunddttshe appropriate training before they can form part of a planning committee. https://lnkd.in/eSWBvPWU

The Government is seeking to streamline the #planning approvals process by modernising local #planningcommittees to deal with the uncertainty and damaging delays to #building the #homes people desperately need. This paper invites views on how the #ukgovernment could reform #planningcommittees to support a plan-led system and ensure appropriate democratic oversight. https://lnkd.in/gXqZWZsU

📰Weekly Planning News Planning Portal have drawn on trusted sources to bring you a simple summary of this week's key planning news - keeping you informed, despite your busy schedule. This week, Government published updates to planning application fees in England, with some fees doubling, to improve local authority cost recovery and resourcing MHCLG Digital - with government survey result published last week revealing that 97% of planning departments face skills gaps. Meanwhile, the National Trust have announced ambitious aims to restore 250,000 hectares of nature-rich land. Read our article to find out more: https://ow.ly/OG1Y50UInmi To help with the upcoming changes, we've published a 'forthcoming' version of our planning application fees schedule, which you can view here: https://ow.ly/C5Ri50UInmh

The government has today published a working paper on planning committees. This paper invites views on how the government could reform planning committees to support a plan-led system and ensure appropriate democratic oversight. It includes the introduction of a national scheme of delegation, a new system of targeted committees for strategic development, and mandatory training for committee members.   Whilst not a formal consultation, MHCLG are welcoming views from the industry and therefore have included a series of questions at the end of the working paper.   The LPDF are supportive of changes to planning committees to help get much needed housing delivered as quickly as possible and to overcome some of the current barriers to sustainable development. We would urge our members to review this working paper and engage in discussions with MHCLG where appropriate, to ensure that the reforms brought forward are as effective as possible. https://lnkd.in/eUngz2eS

So whilst we all wait for the new NPPF to land (assuming it hasn't whilst I type this) a few thoughts on the White Paper https://lnkd.in/dRS2vyPs that was issued at the start of the week focussing on the role and performance of planning committees: 1) there are some sensible general principles in there - consistency, speed and robustness of decision making across the country is really important for the system to work effectively, and it definitely isn't working like that presently. 2) Mandatory training of members of planning committees seems entirely sensible in that context. It strikes me as bizarre that developments that are worth millions and affect the lives of millions could be taken by groups of people that have never benefitted from any form of training. That said, the form that training takes needs to be effective and also not a barrier to encouraging right minded individuals to put themselves forward to become Councillors. 3) I'm personally conflicted about a national scheme of delegation. On one hand it makes a lot of sense - that consistency point and also reducing the burden of sometimes unnecessarily bloated committee agendas. However, there's a danger if not done well, it risks unintended consequences for local communities and developments alike. 4) There has to be an element of judgement in planning - compliance with local planning policies isn't always black and white, and similarly local circumstances can (and do) change in ways that effect the merits of proposals, both positively and negatively. Committees do have a role to play in balancing that judgement, but it definitely needs work. I don't think anyone wants a system that works quickly, but poorly. But as someone who's been doing 'this' for more than 25 years, it's reasonable to say that the system is currently neither sufficiently quick or effective at delivering the right outcomes, and probably in as bad shape as its ever been, so something has to change. So if you're involved in development, the consultation on the white paper is one you should definitely consider responding to. p.s. has 'it' landed yet? #planningreform #whitepaper #nppf p.p.s 'it' has! https://lnkd.in/d_jDVBKT

https://lnkd.in/ecP3ptej My latest column emphasises the need for planning processes in Northern Ireland to be taken out of the hands of local councils

North Somerset Local Plan 2039 Pre-submission Plan North Somerset Council have now published their ‘Consultation Statement’ in respect of their Regulation 19 consultation on the Draft Local Plan, which ended on the 22nd of January 2024. The purpose of this document is to set out how the Council consulted, who they consulted on, the level of responses received, and provide a summary of the main issues raised. This document is available to view via the following link: https://lnkd.in/e4zdDCQr.   During this consultation, the government published the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including revisions to Paragraph 230, which dealt with transitional arrangements for Local Plans currently being prepared. Paragraph 230 states that Local Plans that reach pre-submission consultation on or before the 19th of March 2024 will be examined under the relevant previous version of the Framework.   While the North Somerset draft Local Plan was prepared in anticipation of the new NPPF, the Council has decided to publish a new version of the plan for submission in the context of the current December 2023 NPPF. This will include a roll-forward of the plan period to 2025-2040, as well as other changes in response to feedback from the previous consultation and other issues. It is anticipated that consultation on the new Regulation 19 plan will commence in Summer 2024 with submission for examination in the Autumn.   For further information on the above, or to discuss the next steps in the plan making process please do not hesitate to contact us at enquries@dlpconsultants.co.uk.

Reforming the planning committee system – which option is the best? 🏡 📊 The government's Planning Reform Working Paper outlines three options to streamline the planning process and support local authorities. Here are the three proposed options. Option 1: Delegation where an application complies with the development plan: ✅ Objective: Ensure planning committees focus on applications that do not comply with the development plan. Details: Applications that align with the local plan would be delegated to officers for approval, speeding up the process for compliant developments. Option 2: Delegation as default with exceptions for departures from the development plan: ⚖️ Objective: Delegate most decisions to officers, with committees handling only specific exceptions. Details: All applications would be delegated to officers unless they are departures from the development plan and recommended for approval, or submitted by the local authority, its members, or officers. Option 3: Delegation as default with a prescriptive list of exceptions: 📋 Objective: Provide a clear, consistent approach to which applications are decided by committees. Details: A national scheme would list specific types of applications that must be considered by committees, such as major developments not on allocated sites or those involving significant environmental impact. 👇 Reform of the planning committee system is essential to streamlining decision making. Share your preferred option in the comments below. #PlanningReform #HousingDevelopment #LocalAuthorities #Infrastructure #PlanningDelays #CommunityDevelopment #HousingSupply https://lnkd.in/eXCqf2uy Cathal Kavanagh Charlie Rattigan David Hopps Douglas Johnson Drew Aspinwall Emily Sharp George Thomas Imogen Fawcett Matthew Williams Joseph Stephens Perry Miller Phil Briscoe Rebecca Coleman Becca Walker Robyn Evans Simon Donohue Sophie Richardson Vincent Carroll William Neale

It never sits still does it? Proposed options for much needed reform of the committee and delegation system for planning. I prefer option 1 which includes a degree of discretion. Allocated sites which comply with the adopted plan wouldn't go to committee! https://lnkd.in/ejbDpr5y

Key Updates from Angela Rayner / CLG statement yesterday here: Planning decisions are set to be fast-tracked in a sweeping overhaul of local planning committees, as part of new measures set out by the government to stimulate economic growth and tackle the housing crisis. As set out in the Plan for Change, the government is fully focused on unlocking economic growth across the country. Under new plans to modernise the planning approval process, applications that comply with local development plans could bypass planning committees entirely to tackle chronic uncertainty, unacceptable delays and unnecessary waste of time and resources.  The measures would see a national scheme of delegation introduced, the creation of streamlined committees for strategic development and mandatory training for planning committee members.  Under the new plans, local planning officers will also have an enhanced decision-making role to implement agreed planning policy.  The changes will mean greater certainty to housebuilders that good-quality schemes aligned with already-agreed local development plans will be approved in a timely manner to get spades in the ground.  Full update here: