The British Property Federation has urged ministers to resolve confusion surrounding the government’s fiercely debated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) after an influential committee of cross-party MPs called for “significant changes”.
Publishing the report today, the CLG committee suggested government reinstate the brownfield first policy, amend the contentious presumption in favour of sustainable development so it only applies if a proposal is consistent with a local authority’s local plan, and even offers a “more inclusive definition” of sustainable development.
A statement from the BPF said it supports many of the report’s findings, particularly the reintroduction of brownfield and town centre first policies.
It said that the property industry is also not at odds with the committee’s proposed definition of sustainable development and the “presumption in favour of sustainable development consistent with a local plan”, as long as there is a suitably robust mechanism to ensure that, in the absence of a local plan, development can continue.
The BPF added that it is also imperative there is a suitable incentive for local authorities to produce a plan – seven years on from legislation requiring local authorities to do so, most authorities do not have finalised plans in place.
BPF chief executive Liz Peace said: “This report and much of the rhetoric surrounding the NPPF exposes the vast disparity of views when interpreting the framework. Ministers must stand up and be counted and explain exactly what certain sections of the NPPF will mean in practice.
“Many of the committee’s findings we have long supported, such as the reintroduction of a brownfield-first policy. The commercial property industry, by and large, already develops on previously used land in town and city centres.
“We could support the committee’s definition of sustainable development and re-worded ‘presumption in favour’ as long as local authorities were compelled to produce a local plan. As it stands, only 47% of local authorities have got around to producing one, and the committee’s suggestion risks a complete development hiatus in the remaining 53% of areas.
“To some extent, much of the debate around the different definitions of sustainable development and the obsession with the length of the NPPF itself misses the point that the new system will only succeed if all local authorities have a robust local plan.”
bridget.oconnell@estatesgazette.com
