The final version of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) for England, now in force, has received a good response.
Following publication of the 50-page document on 27 March the administration has issued supplementary technical guidance on development in areas at risk of flooding and in relation to mineral extraction.
The president of the Royal Town Planning Institute, Colin Haylock, said: ‘Overall, the Government has listened to the RTPI and others and the NPPF is a significant improvement on the draft.’
Kate Henderson, chief executive of the Town and Country Planning Association, commented: ‘The inclusion of the 2005 UK Sustainable Development Strategy to the definition of sustainable development ensures that local authorities and communities have the opportunity to deliver socially and environmentally just outcomes as well as promote economic development through the planning system.’
The executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation, Stewart Baseley, called the NPPF proposals ‘sensible’. He said they would ‘balance a community’s housing needs against environmental and other considerations’.
Shaun Spiers, chief executive of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said his organisation was ‘very reassured that Greg Clark recognised the intrinsic value of the ordinary countryside ‘whether specifically designated or not’ and stated that the five principles of the UK Sustainable Development Strategy are included in the document. These were critical issues for CPRE’.
CBI director-general John Cridland said: ‘Future generations will be thankful that the Government has held its nerve on this. Having a presumption in favour of sustainable development gets the balance right between supporting jobs and growth, and serving the interests of the environment and society.’
Craig Bennett, policy and campaigns director at Friends of the Earth, gave a cautious welcome to the NPPF: ‘Including a strong definition of sustainable development in the new planning guidelines is an important step forward but ministers must make it crystal clear that the new planning system will encourage the low-carbon infrastructure and affordable homes our nation needs – and prevent poor quality developments that waste water and increases our reliance on expensive fossil fuels.’
The director-general of the National Trust, Fiona Reynolds, also welcomed changes made to the draft which, she said, gave it ‘a better tone and balance’.
She added: ‘Now the serious business of planning begins. The country needs huge effort at a local level to get plans in place that properly reflect the integration of social, economic and environmental goals, and protect places people value.
Search Planning Portal: LINK
