Growth and Infrastructure Bill

Robert Halfon Excerpts

Monday 5th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con)]

Will my right hon. Friend confirm that, despite what is being said in the media, the planning guidance hands back local power to local people, in particular through the neighbourhood plans?

[Mr Pickles]

Of course it does, and it is pleasing that so many local authorities now publish a plan much more quickly and in a much better way than under the old system.

To return to the national planning policy framework, we have streamlined 1,000 pages of planning guidance down to a mere 50 pages and opened up the planning system, which is no longer the preserve of lawyers, town hall officers and non-governmental organisations, but there is more to do.