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LGA responds to changes to National Planning Policy Framework

Cllr Adam Hug, LGA Housing spokesperson responded to the Government's changes to the National Planning Policy Framework  

“For councils to share the Government’s ambition to tackle local housing challenges, there must be a collaborative approach. It is councils and communities who know their local areas and are therefore best placed to make judgement decisions on how to manage competing demand for land use through the local plan-led system. Getting housebuilding targets in the right place is a difficult task, so any national algorithms and formulas should be supplemented with local knowledge and involvement by councils and communities who know their areas best.    

“Planning is about creating communities linked with the right economic activity and public services, whilst conserving and enhancing the natural and local environment. Local democratic discretion and flexibility need to remain important elements of the planning system.  

“Planning reform also needs to be supported by further work to tackle workforce challenges, the costs of construction and the financial headroom of local authorities and housing associations to build the social and truly affordable homes we desperately need.  

“In order to deliver the homes we need, government must work with councils and the housebuilding industry to ensure there is a suitable pipeline of sustainable sites, which once allocated in a Local Plan and / or given planning permission, are indeed built out. While councils recognise that swift decision-making on planning applications is critical, with nearly 9 in 10 applications granted, people cannot and do not live in planning permissions. Local authorities must be given greater powers to ensure prompt build out of sites with planning permission, as well as the ability to set planning fees at a local level.”  

National Planning Policy Framework

Planning overhaul to reach 1.5 million new homes

Original article link: https://www.local.gov.uk/about/news/lga-responds-changes-national-planning-policy-framework

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