We Have Mail
Tue, 27 Jul 2010
Letters to the Editor
Re Planning Reform – Will Localism Deliver the Goods?
Dear Kizzi,
The coalition government has wasted no time in setting out its plans to reform the planning system in England. Driven by a desire to demolish the previous administration’s framework for housing development, new minsters have already scrapped all regional strategies and housing targets and are now working to set out new planning frameworks which put “localism” at the heart of development.
The centrepiece of this is a new National Planning Framework, which will pull together all the previous guidance documents and guide the production of local development frameworks which will be developed with significant input from local communities.
Of course, planning for major projects such as ports currently comes under the recently established Infrastructure Planning Commission. This will also be abolished, replaced by a similar body, the Major Infrastructure Unit. Decisions will, however, be taken by ministers. The National Policy Statements look likely to reappear for consultation over the coming months.
So what does this mean for major developments such as ports and rail freight terminals? Much will depend on whether they qualify as major developments, or whether they are to be treated locally.
For larger facilities, the National Policy Statements will be key, and there will need to be a concerted effort to ensure that they are fit for purpose. This will be important, not just for the planning inquiry, but in guiding the ministerial decision-making process. In the latter case, it will depend whether the local development framework is supportive of the development, which is, frankly, more likely in areas where job creation is a priority. It will also depend on how much the localism agenda steers the National Planning Framework and Policy Statements.
We will need to remind ministers about the vital need for national infrastructure planning and for the development of key facilities, such as ports and rail freight terminals, and to campaign to ensure that appropriate development continues to possible.
Maggie Simpson
Policy Manager, Rail Freight Group
Dear Kizzi,
The coalition government has wasted no time in setting out its plans to reform the planning system in England. Driven by a desire to demolish the previous administration’s framework for housing development, new minsters have already scrapped all regional strategies and housing targets and are now working to set out new planning frameworks which put “localism” at the heart of development.
The centrepiece of this is a new National Planning Framework, which will pull together all the previous guidance documents and guide the production of local development frameworks which will be developed with significant input from local communities.
Of course, planning for major projects such as ports currently comes under the recently established Infrastructure Planning Commission. This will also be abolished, replaced by a similar body, the Major Infrastructure Unit. Decisions will, however, be taken by ministers. The National Policy Statements look likely to reappear for consultation over the coming months.
So what does this mean for major developments such as ports and rail freight terminals? Much will depend on whether they qualify as major developments, or whether they are to be treated locally.
For larger facilities, the National Policy Statements will be key, and there will need to be a concerted effort to ensure that they are fit for purpose. This will be important, not just for the planning inquiry, but in guiding the ministerial decision-making process. In the latter case, it will depend whether the local development framework is supportive of the development, which is, frankly, more likely in areas where job creation is a priority. It will also depend on how much the localism agenda steers the National Planning Framework and Policy Statements.
We will need to remind ministers about the vital need for national infrastructure planning and for the development of key facilities, such as ports and rail freight terminals, and to campaign to ensure that appropriate development continues to possible.
Maggie Simpson
Policy Manager, Rail Freight Group
Click here to email the editor and comment on this story
Receive our FREE news email bulletin click here
- 13 − 15 March 2012
- 22 − 23rd March 2012
- 25th April 2012 for 12 weeks.
- 12 − 14 June 2012
