Chapman Lily Planning has responded to the invitation to comment upon the proposed changes to the NPPF. A lengthy piece of work as there was some 90 pages and a similar number of questions to be answered. The aim of the proposed changes is to speed up the planning process and remove barriers to economic growth and in particular, facilitate the building of 1.5 million new homes as soon as is practicable. Our feedback included (a) recommending a more proportionate approach to groundwater emergence flooding when say, only a minor non habitable part of an application site falls into the flood risk area,(b) welcoming the return to the previous ‘standard method’ of assessing the housing need for an area, and (c) making the government aware of the fact that some local authorities have a long history of significant under delivery of housing numbers which should be taken into account when calculating future housing need.
Alan Davies (Associate Director) commented; ‘this was a lengthy consultation, but we felt it imperative to responded on behalf of our clients, in order to share with government, the practical experience of our team, who deal with a vast range of planning application and planning policy issues. We broadly welcomed the thrust and direction proposals, particularly the obvious desire to simplify and speed up the application process and to ensure local plans are prepared swiftly and plan for the appropriate number of homes. Planners in all sectors really should see themselves as enablers and ‘can do’ people eager to find solutions to what is an acknowledged national crisis in providing homes for people. I look forward to seeing and reviewing the final version of the framework once published’.
