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Social Impact of the National Planning Policy Framework

3 November 2011

North West Environment Link chair, Andy Yuille, urges groups to talk to their local MP about the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Besides grave concerns about the disproportionate emphasis in the draft NPPF on economic as opposed to environmental development, Mr Yuille highlights two further concerns that could have a grave social impact:

Firstly, because the emphasis will shift to the ‘out of town’ green field sites, the brown field sites elsewhere will be left to crumble. This can lead to the ‘hollowing out’ of communities and repeat the degeneration experienced by some communities in the ‘80s.

Secondly, the “acceptable returns” point of the framework which will mean that developers looking to build larger developments won’t have to contribute to the same extent to things like building schools, green spaces, health centres and public transport.

We need growth based on the principle of "sustainable development".

In the latest of NWEL's Green Bullets, there's advice on how to continue to campaign for improvements in the NPPF:

The consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework is now closed, but there will be feverish activity behind the scenes by lobbyists and civil servants to make amendments to it over the next few months. Government still hopes to have a finalised version of the NPPF published by April, but are now considering allowing Local Authorities an 18-24 month ‘transitional period’ to get their houses in order before applying the new Framework and the presumption in favour of development - but this is not yet guaranteed.

So if you haven’t already, now is the time to write to or visit your MP, tell them your concerns, and ask them to pass them on to the relevant Minister. And ask your colleagues, friends, family and neighbours to do the same! CPRE and The National Trust have up-to-date sample letters that may help you, as may NWEL’s response to the consultation.

The Localism Bill, the primary legislation that ‘holds’ the major planning reforms is approaching its Third Reading in the House of Lords. Government has indicated a willingness to make concessions on some of the key areas debated, eg around sustainable development, protection of the countryside and brownfield first policy, but there is still a great deal of concern. The Bill is expected to gain Royal Assent by the end of the year.

The formal consultation on the NPPF is over but now’s the time to put pressure on your MP to ask questions.
 

Key links:

• To sign up to the Green Bullet (free of charge) please contact Andy Yuille
• To read North West Environment Links' sumbission to the NPPF consultation
• Information about North West Environment Link (NWEL)

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