Our website works best with cookies enabled. You can read about how we use cookies in our cookie page. If you continue to use this site, we will assume that you are happy for us to use cookies. However, if you don't like this, you can change your cookie settings at any time.
How I see it, by Rob Lucas.
The planning system has, as promised, been ‘shaken up’ and now stands charged with the purpose of ‘making things happen’ - sustainably.
The siren warnings of a development ‘free-for-all’ have not bounced the Government into retreat. Myths have been busted. There is no prospect of the ‘concreting over of the countryside’ - and never was.
There is still a housing crisis and economic development is in a trough. This cannot all be laid at the door of the planning system although some of its practitioners have not covered themselves in the glories of positivity and speed in recent times.
The NPPF will help strike a new balance. As planning minister Greg Clark puts it, the changes are required:
“to better support growth to give the next generation the chance that our generation has had to have a decent home, and to allow the jobs to be created on which our prosperity depends”.
Quite so.
The new framework is therefore boldly growth-centred, sustainability-driven and in search of prosperity for all - planned by all. You could say “Hands on our Land” to telegraph a new message.
The Coalition Government has held its nerve in the face of a sometimes incredible opposition and produced a workable, balanced and refreshing policy framework for us to presume to succeed with.
You can read the full article as a downloadable pdf here.
Keystones and Golden Threads, How I see it by Rob Lucas, March 2012