Parliamentary Bulletin December 2008

1. The Planning Bill

The Government introduced the Planning Bill which was given its second reading in the Commons on 10th December.
 
The Bill sets out to streamline and improve planning by introducing:

• A single consents regime for major infrastructure projects
• Establishing an independent infrastructure planning commission
• Measures to improve the town and country planning system.

Key elements are:

• Establishing a national infrastructure commission with new powers and functions;
• Establishing a single consent regime for nationally significant infrastructure projects and a streamlined process for considering applications;
• Statutory requirements on content and consultation on national infrastructure policy statements;
• Statutory requirements for developers of infrastructure to consult affected people and communities before submitting applications;
• Changes to the process for local development plan documents and establishing arrangements for local authorities to decide appeals on minor planning applications.

Key Issues likely to be raised during debate:
 
Several organisations, such as CPRE, have voiced the concern that major projects could be pushed through with little, or no, public consultation. There is also suspicion that economic development concerns will trump issues of sustainability.
 
There is widespread welcome for national planning policies, provided that they are subject to genuine consultation.
 
The establishment of an Independent Commission is the main area of concern. This is a new quango. A key test will be whether it will actually refuse planning permission and how it will involve local people affected by planning decisions.
 
Community Engagement. There is to be more assistance for communities in developing local development policies. Opposition politicians are likely to argue for greater use of community enquiries. This could become a new duty on developers.
 
The Bill received its second reading in the Commons and is expected to be subject to lengthy debate during January and February.

2. New Planning Rules for Local Renewable Energy

Time was when politicians were worried that on a clear day one could look from the cliffs of Dover and see France. Nowadays, the main concern is that one won’t because of the building of off-shore wind farms!
 
Yvette Cooper, announced a new Planning Policy Statement on Climate Change, which sets out an expectation that all local councils will provide on-site renewable energy and local community energy schemes to cut carbon emissions.
 
At the same time new draft planning rules on economic growth (PPS4) were issued for consultation.
 
The double announcement makes it clear that councils need to draw up proposals to cut climate change at the same time as supporting increased housing targets as well as economic growth.  Just as well it’s the season of miracles!
 
These planning rules will mean that councils and developers should be considering things like solar panels, wind turbines or heat pumps which can generate energy from the site of any new development.
 
The priority for any new development continues to be use of Brownfield land and sites which are accessible by public transport. However the new rules will allow councils to consider where a development is located so that it can maximise renewable energy generation and economic growth. 

3. London

The issue of planning for waste management is again a subject of contention between London local authorities and the Mayor’s office. Local Authorities unable to incinerate waste are currently contemplating the costs of increasing amounts of landfill. This one seems set to gather importance in the run up to next year’s Mayoral election.
 
Quote from Lord Hart’s maiden speech:
 
“I was the solicitor on a planning enquiry. We had been going for two months when, late on night in the bar, the barrister said to me “Gary, planning enquires are God’s way of giving the general public a sense of eternity”.
 
Baroness Barker
Meeting Place Communications