Why England's planning overhaul has sparked an outcry
A once-in-a-generation transformation of planning law has been unveiled by the government as it launched a 12-week consultation on its Planning for the Future white paper.
But the proposals, which promise to “replace the entire corpus of plan-making law”, have sparked an outcry. Here are some of the details and areas of controversy:
‘Streamlining’ of planning and three categories of land
Substantial development will take place in “growth” areas, where approval would be secured automatically if specific types of developments are chosen based on locally drawn-up design codes.
The other categories are “renewal” areas, where some development such as “gentle densification” can take place, and “protected”, where development is restricted.
Local plans, the documents that planning authorities create to guide on the future development of the local area, and which are drawn up by the local planning authority, would be simplified and set “rules” rather than general policies.
Greater digitisation and standardisation of planning
Local plans should be shorter, online and based on a standard template. Councils would be supported to make it easier for people to express their views through social media and via their phones, no longer having to rely on notices on street lamps or trawl through lengthy PDF documents.
Critics say this is no longer the case anyway, with most planning applications and documents readily available online.
Beauty and standards
A “fast-track for beauty” would make it easier for those who want to “build beautifully”, automatically permitting proposals for high-quality developments that reflect local character and preferences.
Taking inspiration from the work of the late Conservative philosopher Roger Scruton, a body is to be established to support the delivery of binding “design codes” that would also cut red tape.
Critics suggest this is ideological puffery that will have the opposite effect by creating a new administrative criteria and give lawyers a field day arguing over what is beauty.
Changes to developer contributions and affordable housing provisions
Developers of small sites would be exempt from payments towards local council infrastructure such as schools and affordable housing. This would be done by temporarily lifting the small sites threshold, below which they do not need to contribute to affordable housing, to up to 40 or 50 units.
Section 106, the law that enables councils to impose affordable housing on developers, would be axed. The community infrastructure levy, the charge that can be levied by local authorities on development in their area, would also be replaced and the current system of planning obligations would be based on a nationally set, flat-rate charge.
An “infrastructure levy” would be introduced, aimed at raising more revenue than under the current system and delivering at least as much on-site affordable housing. Critics view this is a grave erosion of local ability to benefit from the true values of new developments.
