Communities Minister Greg Clark expects to see a sample of decisions by planning inspectors to ensure they meet the Government’s intention that the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) should be driven by the Coalition’s localism agenda, while in a related development, the Government’s chief planner, Steve Quartermain, has explained that the helpline providing advice to local planning authorities about the NPPF is to assist with procedure, not interpretation.
Clark told a conference held in London: ‘The advice is not geared at telling you ‘This is what the policy means’. This check on the Inspectorate’s stance was signalled during a short debate on the NPPF in the Commons on 24 April.
The minister was asked by Lib Dem MP Martin Horwood that when inspectors considered local plans ‘does he agree that the default answer from the Planning Inspectorate ought to be yes? ‘
Greg Clark responded: ‘I met the Planning Inspectorate and almost all the planning inspectors who were in conference in Bristol the day after the NPPF was launched. I made it crystal clear that it provided for a localist approach and provided a framework for local decisions, and that I expected decisions to be taken in that vein. ‘
And he added: ‘I will also expect to see a sample of the decisions that are being taken, including after the examination of plans, to ensure that that is happening. On the basis of my direct discussions with the Planning Inspectorate, I am very confident that that is understood. ‘
In a related development, the Government’s chief planner, Steve Quartermain, has explained that the helpline set up to provide advice to local planning authorities about the NPPF is to assist with procedure.
He told a conference held in London: ‘The advice is not geared at telling you ‘This is what the policy means’.’
He explained that the helpline would give advice about the process councils can follow to test their policies for conformity against the NPPF. He said: ‘What it’s geared at is trying to aid local planning authorities who might ring up and say: ‘we’ve got a plan that we’re about to submit to the Planning Inspectorate, what we should do?’
‘We’ll give you advice about the process that you can follow to test what your policies are. We can give you advice on bespoke packages that can be applied to individual circumstances. ‘ He said that the Government intended to publish a frequently asked questions guide online shortly.
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