The Committee considered a report on a consultation that had been published on 30 July 2024 by the Government on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework, and which also dealt with some other proposed changes to the planning system.

The areas covered in the consultation included:

• Planning for the homes we need
• Brownfield land
• Delivering affordable, well-designed homes and places
• Building infrastructure to grow the economy
• Delivering community needs
• Supporting green energy and the environment
• Changes to planning application fees
• The future of planning policy and plan making
• Other matters

The consultation paper sought responses to 106 questions, which were set out in Appendix 1, with a deadline for responses of 24 September 2024. The report provided initial officer comments concentrated on the proposals most pertinent to Reading but stated that, due to the length of the consultation and its arrival during periods of leave, officers had not had time to draft responses to the consultation questions in full. 

The report therefore sought agreement for officers to agree full responses with the Lead Councillor for Planning and Assets and the Chair of Planning Applications Committee before submission by the consultation deadline.

Resolved –

(1)       That, subject to (2) below, the Assistant Director of Planning, Transport and Public Protection Services be authorised to prepare full responses to the consultation for submission by the deadline, in consultation with the Lead Councillor for Planning and Assets and the Chair of the Planning Applications Committee;

(2)       That the draft responses be circulated to all members of the Planning Applications Committee and the Group Leaders for them to feed in comments to the Assistant Director of Planning, Transport and Public Protection Services before finalisation of the responses.