Take party politics out of planning decisions
There was a knock on the door at the weekend by a local councillor canvassing for this week’s local elections.
There ensued a discussion about the needs of local rural communities and how, through positive planning policies, these could effect real change.
We discussed issues such as affordable housing for local people, good rural transport, broadband coverage, the need to regenerate villages so that local schools survive by encouraging families to the area and the desire to support local businesses, such as shops and pubs.
We discussed the role of local authority planning committees in decision making and, sadly, how many decisions taken by committee were on a partypolitical basis rather than based on pure policy.
In my 40 years as an architect I have never understood why planning decisions should be based on political bias, since planning policy is determined through National Planning Policy Framework and supplemented by local district plans.
The NPPF sets out the Government’s planning policies, while planning law requires planning applications to be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The Localism Act
2011 introduced changes to the planning system in England, including legal provision under which local communities, led by parish councils or neighbourhood forums, could develop neighbourhood plans.
These have statutory weight and are considered in the determination of planning applications.
Policies are enshrined in these documents against which any application made is weighed and recommendations made. The role of local authority planning is to do just that and for most cases, decisions are made by delegated consent. However, some are brought to committee and voted on.
Clearly this is a democratic process, but decisions should surely be based on policy rather than political persuasion?
The needs of rural communities have been widely covered by The Yorkshire Post and I believe policies should be developed to support these.
The Localism Act is a golden opportunity for rural communities to address aspirations and think seriously about the needs of future generations.
Sadly, house prices in many rural villages have become unaffordable for the younger generation, thereby forcing them to leave.
The Localism Act is an opportunity for communities to develop plans with planning professionals which will both encourage sensitive development and support facilities and businesses and provide for the next generation.
The North Yorkshire Rural Commission has championed these aspirations in its report, Rural North Yorkshire, The Way Forward.
The issues it examines require “positive behavioural change to allow rural and remote North Yorkshire to become a leader in the green economy, have beautiful living rural spaces, to be digitally connected, farm sustainably and have vibrant services”.
It is vital that we embrace such a vision, rather than say “not in my back yard”.