WIREDGOV

We've responded to CLG's consultation on Planning Policy Statement 4: Planning for Prosperous Economies (PPS4). We welcome this step to reflect changes in policy, specifically relating to sustainable development and addressing the challenges of the current recession and of climate change.

We're supportive of the Government’s aim to streamline planning policy, subject to this providing greater clarity, policy integration and effective rural proofing.

It's also welcome that some of the recommendations from Matthew Taylor's 'Living Working Countryside' report and the Rural Advocate's report 'England’s rural areas: steps to release their economic potential' have been taken forward.

There are 2 key areas where we believe PPS4 should be strengthened to help overcome rural economic disadvantage and release the economic potential of rural areas:

• reflect and promote a stronger evidence based understanding of how local rural economies work

• replace the notion of blanket protection with criteria which should be applied at the local level (for example, the enhancement and conservation of distinctive landscapes and heritage, improvement of recreation and tourism or the safeguarding of valuable water and soil resources)

Read the full response