Minister promises "appropriate transitional arrangements" before NPPF comes into force

The government will work closely with local authorities to ensure that “appropriate transitional arrangements are in place” before the new National Planning Policy Framework comes into force, Planning Minister Greg Clark has told MPs.

In a written ministerial statement Clark also insisted that the government was committed to publishing the final version of the NPPF by 31 March 2012 “but intends to do so well ahead of that time”. Consultation on the draft framework closed on 17 October.

The Minister said he had asked the Communities and Local Government select committee to consider and make suggestions on the draft.

There will also be debates on the NPPF in the House of Commons on 20 October and in the House of Lords on 27 October.

Clark also said: “Our reforms are intended to simplify the system, strengthen local participation and to help achieve sustainable development.

“The planning system has always enshrined the principle that the economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainable development should be considered in a balanced way – and it will continue to do so.”

The Daily Telegraph cited Whitehall ‘sources’ as suggesting the transitional arrangements would give local authorities between 18 months and two years to prepare local plans.

The Local Government Association welcomed Clark’s announcement, saying it ensured that local communities would be able to decide upon new developments in their areas. The LGA had expressed concern that – in the absence of proper transitional arrangements – developers could have exploited the planning changes.

Cllr David Parsons, Chairman of the LGA Environment and Housing Board, said: “We support a simplified planning system, but councils have been clear that any development in their communities should improve the local area and meet the needs of local people. The LGA had argued that with limited time to finalise local plans and a lack of guarantees over the benefits for the area, this might not happen.

“We are pleased the government has listened to us and agreed that communities and councils need ‘appropriate’ time to put into place their local plans. It is important that the reforms go through due democratic process. We look forward to further detail on this.”

Cllr Parsons also said it was positive that the Planning Minister had confirmed that the economic, social and environmental aspects of developments would need to be ‘balanced’. This would ensure communities genuinely benefit from development, he claimed.

Another minister, Bob Neill, has meanwhile published eight environmental assessments of the revocation of Regional Plans. Neill claimed that the reports made it clear that revocation would mean less top down pressure on communities to review Green Belt.