The Law Society has published its response to the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government’s consultation on proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework and National Model Design Code. The Law Society welcomes the greater clarity on terms such as ‘beautiful’ but has made several suggestions for improvement of the framework and code.
Lexis®Library update: The Law Society has highlighted that the proposed changes should:
- include more recognition that not all development will be ‘new’, as well as better scope for understanding the existing
- resolve an apparent clash between proposed permitted development changes and use classes changes, which could frustrate ‘sustainable development’
- recognise the importance of the need for the planning system to respond in a timely way to current and future needs, and balance those competing needs
- consider how local authorities will adopt the code as it is likely to be a major exercise requiring adequate resources and necessary skills
- provide clarity on how a code, one established, will be adapted over time
- ensure that community involvement in plan making is not at the expense of any later involvement in planning decision making, proper scrutiny of decisions and appropriate remedies being available where decision making goes wrong
Source: National Planning Policy Framework and National Model Design Code – Law Society response
This content was first published by LNB News / Lexis®Library, a LexisNexis® company, on 21 April 2021 and is published with permission. Further information can be found at: www.lexisnexis.co.uk.
