Hello all,
I, like many of you, was concerned by the National Planning Policy Framework's changes to the level of protection for the environment and the country's heritage. So I wrote to my local MP; Oliver Heald. Below is his response:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr James
Thank you for your recent email about the Government's plans to simplify Whitehall planning guidance.
England's national planning policy is over 1,000 pages long, on top of volumes of Regional Strategies, and in addition to councils' own Local Plans. The planning regime has become the preserve of lawyers, town hall officials and pressure groups, rather than empowering local communities.
The National Planning Policy Framework is committed to decentralising power and making the planning process more accessible. The Government is already abolishing Labour's unpopular Regional Strategies and local communities will now be in the driving seat though the innovation of neighbourhood planning, which will increase the involvement of local residents in the planning process.
The Government is also committed to protecting our natural and historic environment. The Framework safeguards valued, national protection such as Green Belt, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Sites of Special Scientific Interest, as well as ensuring measures which protect wildlife, biodiversity and cultural heritage. It also proposes a new designation to secure local green spaces in need of special protection.
Indeed, the Framework explicitly attaches great importance to Green Belts in safeguarding the countryside and checking the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas. It also directly states that local plans should minimise adverse effects on the local or natural environment. There will be no free reign for developers to build wherever they like.
These changes are part of broader reforms to drive sustainable development, promote local economic growth, tackle climate change and protect the environment. Local firms and communities are hindered by a planning system that can be slow, costly and uncertain. Yet development will not be allowed if it is clearly in conflict with the environmental safeguards in the Framework. The Government believes that environmental standards should be higher to save on energy bills and cut carbon emissions. It is for these reasons that I believe the Framework will encourage truly sustainable development and tackle issues relating to climate change.
I would encourage you to read the summary to the new Framework online (www.communities.gov.uk) and to submit your views via the public consultation. I thought you would also be interested to see the attached letter which David Cameron sent to the Director-General of the National Trust -Dame Fiona Reynolds DBE.
Best wishes,
Oliver Heald MP
Member of Parliament for North East Hertfordshire
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So there we are!
We await the results of the consultation
