Communities minister Bob Neill has made his most detailed statement yet on the relationship between the coalition’s localism agenda and the role of Government planning policy.
His comments came during a Commons adjournment debate on the nuisance caused by urban supermarkets and convenience stores which could be established in former retail or other outlets without planning permission because of the terms of the Use Classes Order.
Neill stressed that councils did have planning powers to restrict change of use in particular circumstances. “Hot food takeaways, pubs, restaurants and financial services such as banks can all convert to shops without requiring planning applications if the impact on neighbours is regarded as being less than that of the existing use. The key difference in this instance is that local authorities have the power to remove that freedom of movement and require planning permission if there is local concern about such a development,” he told MPs.
Neill then spelled out how the Government would reconcile national policy and local determination. He said that “generally, planning should be a local matter, with planning decisions being made at local level wherever possible. We will ensure that national planning policies support local decision making”.
He noted that in the past, national planning objectives have been set out through a series of planning policy guidance notes, and more recently planning policy statements.
He said: “These [PPGs and PPSs] cover a broad range of policy themes and are piecemeal in nature. This is why we said in the coalition agreement that we will publish and present to Parliament a simple and consolidated national planning framework covering all forms of development. This simple and consolidated framework will set out not only what the Government’s economic and environmental priorities are, but how they relate to each other.
“Such a framework would also set out in general terms but in sufficient detail to provide clarity what was expected, both of the planning system and in terms of delivering national priorities.”
Neill promised a statement “in short order” on taking forward the national planning framework and the implications for specific areas of policy.
He told MPs:”That is an appropriate vehicle to look at the operation of the PPSs and PPGs. In pulling together a more holistic approach with the national framework, I suggest that that is the appropriate vehicle by which the Government can address what may have been anomalies or circumstances that have arisen since the previous Use Classes Orders were drawn up and to see if what we have now remains appropriate for the future.”
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