COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT News Release (100) issued by COI News Distribution
Service on 5 May 2009
A new planning
policy setting out a comprehensive approach for planning for
sustainable economic growth in all parts of the country has been
published for consultation by Housing and Planning Minister
Margaret Beckett today.
The proposed Planning Policy Statement 4: Planning for Prosperous
Economies streamlines existing guidance to create a coherent and
modern planning framework which will enable communities to meet
the economic challenges they are facing now and in the long-term.
It encourages positive and proactive planning for sustainable
economic growth in urban and rural areas and promotes investment,
competition and innovation while safeguarding city, town and
village centres.
The integrated approach of the new Planning Policy Statement will
provide greater certainty to businesses looking to submit planning
applications and assist local authorities take speedier decisions
on planning applications.
Margaret Beckett said:
"The planning system needs to do everything it can to
support the economic aspirations of our communities in cities,
towns and rural villages.
"We need a flexible and responsive system with local
authorities and business working together to understand the
economic challenges they face and to exploit the opportunities
they identify.
"That's why for the first time we have brought together
all of our key planning policies relating to the economy in one place.
"This gives us a coherent and modern set of policies which
provide the flexibility needed to tackle the current economic
uncertainty and exploit the opportunities available through global
competition for jobs and investment, rapid advances in technology
and in working patterns."
The new PPS takes forward the Government's commitment in the
Planning White Paper 2007 to streamline planning guidance. It
replaces the existing PPS4, Planning for Sustainable Economic
Development, PPG5, Simplified Planning Zones, PPS6, Planning for
Town Centres, and the economic development elements of PPS7,
Sustainable Development in Rural Areas.
Key policies in the new Planning for Prosperous Economies PPS include:
- From draft PPS4, considering planning applications for economic
growth favourably unless there is good reason to believe the costs
outweigh the benefits. Developing plans that take account of long
term economic benefits, including for the wider regional and
national economy such as job creation, and promoting opportunities
to regenerate deprived areas and support business diversification
in rural areas.
- From PPG5, encouraging local authorities to make full use of
the planning tools available to them to simplify and speed up the
planning process, such as creating simplified planning zones.
- From PPS6, promoting the vitality of town centres, consumer
choice and retail diversity. Removing the "needs" test,
which requires developers to show there is need for their
proposal. Retaining the sequential test, which requires developers
to seek the most central sites first, and a tougher 'impact
test' which assesses proposals against economic, social and
environmental criteria so that councils can assess its impact on
the town centre in reaching their decision.
- From PPS7, provide for sustainable economic growth in keeping
with the need to protect the countryside. This responds to a key
recommendation from Matthew Taylor MP's review of rural
housing and economy.
The consultation on the draft PPS will close on 28 July 2009.
Notes to Editors
- The proposed new Planning Policy Statement is available at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/consultationeconomicpps
- The policies set out in this PPS will be taken into account by
regional planning bodies in the preparation of revisions to
Regional Spatial Strategies, by the Mayor of London in relation to
the spatial development strategy for London, and by local planning
authorities in the preparation of local development documents.
These local plans include clear and proactive policies aimed at
supporting the start-up and growth of business, attracting inward
investment and increasing employment. These plans give developers
the certainty they require for the future use of their own and
surrounding land to be able to commit investment.
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