The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Nick Boles)
The coalition Government have taken a series of steps to ensure a streamlined, easy-to-use planning system. A number of statutory instruments to make planning practice swifter and simpler are being laid this week.
Faster planning appeals to support sustainable economic growth
Following the consultation last year on proposals to make the planning appeals process faster and more transparent, reforms are being introduced from 1 October 2013 under statutory instruments laid today that mean that appeal decisions can be taken sooner, while ensuring the process remains fair.
Where appeals are allowed, development will be able to commence sooner, bringing forward much needed jobs and growth. Communities will be able to see an appellant’s whole case when making their own representations, as this will now be submitted up front when they make their appeal, giving greater transparency.
A new commercial appeals service, closely modelled on the successful householder appeals service, will introduce an expedited procedure for some minor commercial appeals such as those relating to advertisement consent or shop fronts, allowing decisions to be made in only eight weeks.
Guidelines on acquiring land
Revised guidance on the compulsory acquisition of land or rights over land for nationally significant infrastructure projects will help applicants understand the powers in the Planning Act 2008 and how they can be used to best effect. It will also help ensure that the process of dealing with such orders is as fair, straightforward and accurate for all parties as possible. I am arranging for a copy of the guidance to be placed in the Library of the House.
A better process for consents in conservation areas
New secondary legislation will complete the removal of the requirement for obtaining conservation area consent when demolishing unlisted buildings in conservation areas, and from 1 October 2013 make these proposals subject to planning permission instead. It will remain necessary to obtain the permission of the local planning authority for such demolition, but the changes will reduce complexity in the system, by removing a separate consent regime. The level of protection of unlisted buildings in conservation areas will remain unchanged.
Britain is building
This Government have introduced a wide ranging package of measures to support stalled development. This includes making £570 million available through the Get Britain Building fund to unlock new homes on small sites that have planning permission, and a £474 million fund for investment in the local infrastructure necessary to support housing and commercial development. Our investments to date are helping to bring forward new homes, boosting the construction industry and stimulating economic growth. Through the Growth and Infrastructure Act, we have enabled developers to request reconsideration of the affordable housing component of any section 106 agreement, to ensure development is not being made unviable by unrealistic requirements. We have also taken steps to boost the housing market by improving access to mortgage finance through initiatives such as the funding for lending and help to buy schemes.
In October 2012, a temporary measure introduced by the previous Government that enables applicants to seek more time to implement a planning permission was extended by 12 months. To encourage developments to start on site promptly once planning permission is granted, this temporary measure will not be extended further. This will complement the £1 billion Government are investing to get stalled sites moving again and help to reduce the 60,500 sites that are currently on hold.
Better performance for the planning process
The Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013 allows applications for major development to be made directly to the Secretary of State, in those few cases where a local planning authority is designated as under-performing. The statutory instruments being laid this week explain the procedures that need to be followed, including the local hearing that will ensure communities have an effective say on any applications made in their area. The Government expect to make the first designations by the end of October, and applications can be made to the Secretary of State from that time.
Amendments to the fees regulations will also help to improve performance by requiring a refund of the planning application fee if a planning application has not been decided within 26 weeks, in line with the Government’s “planning guarantee”.