The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Nick Boles)
The Department for Communities and Local Government ran a consultation exercise between 21 December 2012 and 15 February 2013 seeking views on the review group’s recommendations contained in the report of the review of planning practice guidance led by Lord Taylor of Goss Moor.
The review has examined all current guidance material and has recommended rationalising advice and making it easier to use. Existing guidance is unwieldy in its current form and the review has recommended that it be shorter but retain key elements, and be more accessible to be useful to everyone using the planning system.
We accept that the existing guidance suite needs reform and consolidation. In the light of the positive response to this consultation, we are carefully considering the implementation of the review group’s recommendations. As set out in the Budget, we will publish significantly reduced planning guidance, providing much needed simplicity and clarity in line with Lord Taylor’s recommendations. We accept the majority of the report’s recommendations, with the exception of those on signposting best practice material produced by the sector and the immediate cancellation of out-of-date guidance.
The Government’s response to both this consultation and the Taylor review has been placed in the Library of the House and is available on the Department’s website.