The Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on a Planning White Paper (Planning for the Future) proposing a new planning system, and a government consultation on other proposed changes to the existing planning system.  A proposed response to the Planning White Paper was attached to the report at Appendix 1 and a response to the other proposed changes to the existing planning system was attached at Appendix 2.

The report explained that the Planning White Paper had been published on 6August 2020 for consultation.  The main changes proposed had been designed to support key themes of reducing regulation in order to remove barriers to development and creating much greater certainty within the planning process.  The White Paper was based around three pillars of Planning for Development, Planning for Beautiful and Sustainable Places, and Planning for Infrastructure and Connected Places, and it was proposed to form a ‘zoning system’, whereby the use of all land was defined at the plan-making stage.  The proposals included nationally-set development management policies, national standard conditions, a nationally-set Consolidated Infrastructure Levy (replacing the Community Infrastructure Levy and Section 106 agreements and including affordable housing), binding nationally-set housing numbers through a standard methodology, a national design guide taking precedence where no design codes were in place, and a national body to support local design codes.  As a result, there would be reduced opportunities for democratic oversight and local consultation on developments. The consultation was open until 29 October 2020 and attached to the report at Appendix 1 was a draft response for approval.

The report noted that alongside the White Paper another consultation had been published on changes to the existing planning system, which looked at measures that could be introduced within the existing context in advance of primary legislation to enact the White Paper.  This consultation had closed on 1 October 2020 and attached to the report at Appendix 2 was the Council’s response, which had been agreed by the Policy Committee at its meeting on 28 September 2020 (Minute 48 refers).

Resolved –

(1)      That the proposed response to the consultation on the Planning White Paper at Appendix 1 be approved;

(2)      That the response to the consultation on changes to the current planning system at Appendix 2 be noted.