The Neighbourhood Planning Bill 2016-17 was amended during its Committee stage in the House of Commons, and a number of Government new clauses were added in relation to local plan making.
The House of Commons Library states:
A number of Government new clauses were added at Committee Stage
in relation to development documents (local plan) making:
- clause 4 enables the Secretary of State to direct two or more local planning authorities to make a joint local plan
- clause 3 introduces a requirement for each local planning authority to identify the strategic priorities for the development and use of land in their areas
- clause 7 introduces a requirement for local plans to be reviewed at regular intervals
- clause 5 and new schedule 1 enable the Secretary of State to invite a County Council to prepare a local plan where a district council had failed to do so
- clause 6 enables data standards for local development schemes and documents to be set by Government.
The most contentious clause in Committee was clause 7. It provides that pre-commencement planning conditions can only be used by local authorities where they have the written agreement of the developer. The Opposition disagreed with the rationale for the clause and argued that there was little evidence to support the suggestion that pre-commencement planning conditions delayed development. The shadow Minister moved an amendment to ensure that local authorities could still require ‘necessary’ pre-commencement conditions for developers. The amendment was pushed to a division, as was the question on whether the clause should stand-part of the Bill. The amendment was defeated and the clause-stand part was agreed.
A number of Opposition new clauses were also discussed, including new clause 15 on allowing local authorities to have more discretion on setting their planning fees, which was defeated on division. New clause 14 proposed a Government review of permitted development rights granted since 2013, which was also defeated on division.
A date for the Bill’s Report Stage has not yet been set.
View the amendments and the full report
