Spawforths

The Coalition Government in July 2011 published its long-awaited draft of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), reducing around 1,000 pages of planning policy into a 52 page document.  The document is billed as

“A new, simpler framework for the planning system that safeguards the environment while meeting the need for sustainable growth”

Public consultation on the draft document continues until 17 October 2011.  The consultation draft follows the earlier version of the document developed by the Practitioners Advisory Group and is largely unchanged, and the key elements of the policy are underpinned by the much vaunted “presumption in favour of sustainable development”, identified as a “golden thread” which should run through development plan preparation and decision making.

Spawforths have identified six key themes from the document which it is felt will most significantly impact on the planning policy and decision making process over the next few years following adoption.  These key themes are in many ways extensions of extant good practice, and therefore Spawforths can identify current and recent examples of work where it can be demonstrated how we have already been able to meet the new Government’s expectations for the planning system.  Spawforths’ approach is not development “at whatever cost” but development and growth in the right location and in the right way.  In that sense, this is precisely what sustainable development means and clearly the Government’s approach is that this type of development should be enabled, not hindered by the Planning System.

In the following six sections you will be able to understand six of the key themes and fundamental issues which the new framework will create.  For a full version of the current Draft document, please follow the link below to the Department for Communities and Local Government website.

http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/1951811.pdf