Summary
An incoming planning reform takes effect on October 31, replacing existing local systems for deciding on planning applications with a standardised national framework.
Details
But the National Scheme of Delegation (NSD) changes, which coincide with Halloween, are being seen as a horror show by planners amid claims that they risk steamrollering the views and interests of local communities and the environment in favour of business.
Warning that process changes from the end of this month amount to a “shocking attack on the democratic process”, Stroud District Council leader Chloe Turner has pointed out that with most decisions bypassing the planning committee and being left to council staff, elected representatives will be largely powerless to scrutinise controversial planning applications – and members of the public will lose any opportunity to speak in public about their concerns.
A statement from the Green Party confirmed that the extent of the NSD changes means residential developments of fewer than 10 dwellings or under 0.5 hectares, home extensions and minor commercial, retail, or industrial developments, must now be decided by planning officers and cannot be referred to councils’ planning committees.
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All other applications will be decided by officers unless there are “exceptional” reasons for them to go to the committee, known in Ebley Mill’s context as the Development Control Committee (DCC).
Additionally, parish and town councils – and local councillors – will no longer be able to “call in” certain planning applications to ensure that local expertise and opinion is aired and understood before a decision is reached.
Cllr Turner called the change “the latest shocking attack on local democracy in the planning world”, adding “this loss of local democracy, community expertise and community voice is really disturbing.” Cllr Martin Baxendale, Chair of SDC’s DCC , disputed government continued claims that local authority planning services are a blocker to development. He said: “This is far from being the case.
The frequency of our DCC meetings has been increased to monthly, to cope with an expected rise in planning applications following the government’s earlier relaxation of planning laws in the summer.
Report source: Punchline Gloucester
