New planning framework in force from today

Planning minister Greg Clark has unveiled the National Planning Policy Framework, which comes into force today for most local authorities.

Designed to boost growth and simplify the planning system it contains the central presumption in favour of sustainable development and enshrines a brownfield and town centre first policy.

Clark predicted that new planning guidelines for England will “help build the homes the next generation needs”.

The new planning framework hands control of housing plans to local authorities.

Those authorities with a local plan will be given a year to up date them to reflect the spirit of the new planning framework.

Clark said that half the country’s councils that had failed to get a local plan in place since the system was reformed in 2004, would be subject to the NPPF from today.

Mike Leonard, director of the Modern Masonry Alliance welcomed the changes.

He said: “It is important that the Government stuck to its position on the presumption in favour of sustainable development.

“We are of course concerned that the delay implementing the reforms has caused a planning hiatus.

“We now call on Government and local authorities to work hard on processing planning consents to enable housing projects to come forward to meet the ever-growing housing crisis.”

He added: “We should not forget that building new homes will prove to be a big economic driver, creating jobs for the millions who are now unemployed and securing the future of our very important UK building materials manufacturing sector.”

The Government hopes the new National Planning Policy Framework will stimulate housing, striking a balance between economic growth, a presumption in favour of sustainable development and existing environmental protection.

The new NPPF replaces a bewildering 1,300 pages of guidelines with a single slimmed-down 52-page document.

It includes the provision to insist local councils prioritise building on brownfield land to protect edge of town green spaces.

The new policy document also includes a town centre first provision to help local shopping centres stave of the threat from out-of-town retail parks.

Clark described sustainable development as a test to whether, in effect, it would be in the public interest to approve an application.

"If there are reasons, for example if it destroys the environment, if it builds on the green belt, if it builds outside a town centre, if it's commercial premises when you want to keep town centres thriving, then that would not be sustainable, it would not be in the public interest and so it should not go ahead."

He added that a team was already in place at the planning inspectorate to assist all local authorities and give advice on local plans.