COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT News Release (222) issued by The Government News Network
on 27 November 2007
A new Bill that
will make the planning system quicker, more transparent and easier
for the public to become involved in will be published today by
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears.
The Planning Bill will reform the planning system for major
infrastructure projects which is increasingly struggling to deal
with the challenges of the 21st century - climate change,
protecting the environment and the need for new homes.
The Bill will establish a better system for dealing with those
decisions with opportunities for public participation locked into
each stage of the process. It will also strengthen accountability
and ensure decision-making is transparent and fair with
sustainable development at its heart.
The changes are expected to bring the average time for decisions
on major projects down to under a year ending years of unnecessary
delays on the infrastructure the country needs to tackle
challenges of a modern world and help tackle climate change. On
average £300m a year will be saved, nearly £5bn by 2030.
Communities too will have a far greater say - with the Bill
including a package of measures that will strengthen public
participation in the setting of national infrastructure policy,
the development of individual projects and planning decisions themselves.
The Bill will also simplify the local town and country planning
system, improve the appeal process and puts a duty on councils in
preparing their local plans to take action on climate change.
Local councils will also be able to set charges on new
developments in their areas to contribute to community
infrastructure like roads, schools and hospitals.
Major infrastructure decisions with community consultation locked
into every stage.
Under the Bill:
* Ministers will set national priorities for infrastructure
following public consultation and Parliamentary scrutiny.
* In drawing up the national statements, Ministers will be under
a duty to contribute to sustainable development and to carry out
an appraisal of their policy's sustainability.
* Developers will have a legal duty to consult the local
community, local authorities and key stakeholders on their
projects as they prepare them.
* Planning inquiries will be made more accessible to the public,
and public's rights to be heard will be protected. The Bill
will make it clear that any person who registers an interest can
give oral evidence at relevant stages of the inquiry.
* Decisions on applications will be taken by an independent
Commission consisting of leading experts from a range of fields
within a clear framework of legal duties set by Parliament and
policy set by Government.
Streamline the local planning system - cutting red tape for local
householders and tackling climate change
The Bill and other reforms being announced today will:
* Make it easier for homeowners to extend their homes. Planning
permission will not be required for minor developments such as
conservatories, small scale extensions where it is clear they have
little or no impact on neighbouring properties.
* Allow householders to install small-scale renewable
technologies - such as solar panels and wind turbines - without
planning permission subject to safeguards and standards to ensure
there is little or no impact on neighbours.
* Give local planners more flexibility when developing local
plans and speed up plan-making by removing unnecessary bureaucracy.
* Enable local councils to apply a new charge to secure a
contribution towards the costs of community infrastructure to
deliver the development plan from landowners who benefit when
planning permission is granted.
* Require local councils to take action on climate change when
preparing their local plans.
* Provide more resources for local authorities through a greater
contribution from users of planning services.
Hazel Blears said:
"Through quicker and high quality decisions our Planning
Bill will help deliver on the Government's long-term vision
for Britain in relation to housing, climate change, energy
security, transport provision, and prosperity and quality of life
for all.
"The new measures show that it is possible to deliver not
only a faster and more efficient planning system, but high quality
decisions with greater community involvement.
"There will always be controversial projects that stir
opinion and require difficult judgements to be made. However
having a stronger system will ensure all opinions - particularly
those of the public are heard sooner. Making good judgements in
less time is of benefit to everyone. Long-lasting stale-mates that
finally stagger to a conclusion are no good for anyone."
Notes to Editors
1. The Planning Bill will be found online at: http://services.parliament.uk/bills
2. The Government set out its detailed proposals for reforming
the planning system in a White Paper, Planning for a Sustainable
Future, in May 2007. This can be found online at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/planningwhitepaper
3. We have also published two consultation papers:
a. Streamlining Local Development Frameworks - consultation;
b. Tree Preservation Orders - improving procedures
4. In addition we will publish shortly the Government's
response to earlier consultation, as follows:
a. Planning White Paper Consultation - Government response to
consultation replies;
b. Planning Performance Agreements: a new way to manage
large-scale major planning applications: Government response to
consultation replies.
c. Planning Fees In England: Proposals for Change: Government
response to consultation replies
d. Changes to Permitted Development Consultation Paper 2- Changes
to Householder Permitted Development Rights Government response to
consultation replies.
e. Improving the appeal process in the planning system - making
it proportionate, customer focused, efficient and well resourced:
Government response to consultation replies
f. Changes To Permitted Development Consultation Paper 1:
Permitted Development Rights for Householder Microgeneration:
Government response to consultation replies
5. Alongside these documents we have published a number of
related background documents including an impact assessment of the
Bill proposals, available on the CLG website.
Public Enquiries: 020 7944 4400;
News Releases: http://www.communities.gov.uk