Charles Planning Associates Limited

Changes to the Planning System

In December 2005, alongside the Chancellor’s pre-budget speech, the ODPM published a raft of information and consultation documents, including the Government’s response to Kate Barker’s Review of Housing Supply, a draft PPS3 on Housing and a Consultation of a proposed Planning-Gain Supplement (ie a methodology for seeking to ensure that a proportion of the uplift in land value created by allocation for development is passed to the ODPM/Treasury in order to contribute towards funding infrastructure, ie a form of ‘Land-Tax’).

A final version of PPS3 is awaited (May 2006) and the Government’s further proposals in respect of the PgS are expected later this year. Kate Barker is currently undertaking a broader review of the Planning System. The Government may wait to receive this Report before progressing further with PgS.

Local Development
Frameworks:

Assessing the soundness of Development Plan Documents and Statements of Community Involvement
The Planning Inspectorate recently published a consultation paper dealing
with the soundness of Local Development Plans and Statements of Community Involvement. The document will provide guidance to Local Authorities, Inspectors and third party interests as required by Planning Policy Statement 12.

The soundness of Development Plan Documents and Statements of Community Involvement will be an integral element of the examination process and the draft document provides an opportunity to comment on the way the plan is tested as well as commenting on model representation forms and conduct of the examination process.

The Inspectorate will publish its 'Guide to Development Plan Examinations' later in 2005.

Progress with the production of Local Development Frameworks

The production of the new Local Development Frameworks is underway throughout England. The deadline for the submission of Local Development Schemes was at the end of March 2005 and, therefore, all Local Authorities now have a set timetable for the production of Statements of Community Involvement, Development Plan Documents, Supplementary Planning Documents and Area Action Plans.

Development Plan Documents will be subject to different stages of production where representations can be submitted, including an Issues and Options stage that will inform publication of a Preferred Options stage prior to the publication of a Pre-Submission document.