Government urged to avoid ‘one size fits all’ planning policy

Reforms to the UK’s planning system must move from a one size fits all approach to boost development, the Government has been warned.

Labour may set out plans for how it will legislate for 1.5m new homes as it sets out its parliamentary agenda in the King’s Speech this week.

But while Labour has suggested it would build on lower quality green belt and brownfield land,a planning and development consultancy Lichfields warns  there are challenges in the current system that could stifle, or at least delay, investment.

It has published a new report, titled ‘Major Developed Sites in the Green Belt – The Land That Policy Forgot?’, which highlights how pre-2012 national policy used to recognise green belt locations as Major Developed Sites (MDS) and provided clearer guidance on how local planning authorities (LPAs) should assess development proposals.

But this was removed by the 2012 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which established more subjective, generalised guidance, stripping out the detail around how an LPA could approach the identification, definition and guidance of development and potentially limiting the ability of these sites to evolve and contribute to local economies and services.

The research shows that of the 180 LPAs with green belt land, only a third have adopted criteria-based, bespoke policies, while two-thirds default to generic NPPF guidelines.

Additionally, there’s a regional disparity in the policy approach, with the North West of England having the highest reliance on generic NPPF-based green belt policies and the South East of England leading in bespoke policies.

Ian York, a planning director at Lichfields and co-author of the report, said: “Our research shows that the majority of LPAs are adopting generalised policies that repeat national guidance. We must move away from a one-size-fits-all approach and adopt local, bespoke policies that recognise the unique characteristics of these sites. 

“The report urges LPAs to engage with landowners and operators to create detailed policies that clearly define development parameters, ensuring these sites can thrive without compromising green nelt integrity.”

With the new Labour government’s commitment to update the NPPF within its first 100 days, York said there is a “crucial opportunity” to reintroduce policy guidance akin to the previous MDS framework. 

York added: “This will provide much-needed clarity and support for LPAs and developers alike.”

You can download the research in full here: https://lichfields.uk/content/insights/major-developed-sites-in-the-green-belt