Planning for the Future - The Planning Reform White Paper consultation:

Shortly before being named Boris Johnson's Housing advisor in early 2020, Jack Airey published a radical report 'Rethinking the Planning system for the 21st Century' proposing US-style rules-based zoning to replace our current discretionary land use planning system. In doing so he echoed Nicholas Boys Smith, the founder of Create Streets and Chair of the Building Better Building Beautiful Commission (BBBBC), who has long suggested a more rules-based system.

The radical Reforms now proposed for the planning system in England are framed by Government's view that the current planning system blocks the development the country needs to build back better, especially from the economic impacts of Covid-19, and so The Planning for the Future  White Paper was born. The consultation document is 84 pages long, and is an easy read. It touts a new streamlined process designed to reduce red tape and harness technology to deliver homes more rapidly.  The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) have conveniently condensed the whole 84 pages down to a one page infographic. 

A few brief but important points:

• Proposal 4: A new standard methodology for establishing Housing requirement.  The current Housing Delivery Test requires Kingston Council to deliver 642 new Homes per year. As the Council has under-delivered for a number of years, the backlog has brought that requirement up to ~900 new homes per year. Lichfields suggest the proposed new standard methodology will likely see that figure increase to ~1500 per year, depending on local constraints.  However, this clumsy proposed algorithm is already creating a bit of a stir nationally!
• Proposal 5: A streamlined Development Management Process - Zoning: 
  • Growth areas will back development, with development approved at the same time plans are prepared, meaning new homes, schools, shops and business space can be built quickly and efficiently, as long as local design standards are met. There will be no planning applications to comment on!
  • Renewal areas will be suitable for some development – where it is high-quality in a way which meets design and other prior approval requirements the process will be quicker. If not, development will need planning approval in the usual way.
  • Protected areas will be just that – development will be restricted to carry on protecting our treasured heritage like Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and National Parks.
• Proposal 9: Neighbourhood Plans should be retained as an important means of community input, and 'we will support communities to make better use of digital tools'. 

• The White Paper Offers no reassurance about the night time economy, development of the arts, culture, music.
• Transport is integral but the White Paper says nothing about it
• Planning is complex by definition - so how can simplification work?
• Conservation Areas and other areas that are currently carry protection will not automatically be included in the proposed Protected Area Zone(s)
• If a developer has 'permission in principle' why subsequently engage with the local community?
• Where does the London Plan fit in - if at all?
• What happens when protected nature zones encroach into Growth/Renewal areas? 
• Heritage: 'Setting'  is surely more than just about 'views'

However, for community groups like Neighbourhood Forums the lukewarm words at proposal 9: Community involvement,  have been of great concern - do they really want community involvement?  After a number of Zoom meetings with representatives from the Ministry of Housing and Local Government - MHCLG, London based neighbourhood planning communities are feeling a little more encouraged that we do still have an important role to play in the reformed system, we just have to define our role by responding to the consultation.
There is neighbourhood planning experience within the Ministry, but as ~90% of neighbourhood planning groups are parish councils, those of us as Neighbourhood Forums in urban/suburban settings need to shout even louder. 
Kingston Council's responded to proposal 9:  'The Council agrees that Neighbourhood Plans have an important role in increasing community ownership and involvement in plan-making'. 
We have been encouraged by housing secretary Robert Jenrick's  statement of support on twitter, and we are indebted to our MP, Sarah Olney for her speech in the House of Commons where she stated her support for community involvement in the reformed system and especially neighbourhood planning groups (NKF and the Ham & Petersham NF were mentioned and are within her constituency). 

The London Based Neighbourhood Planning network are now encouraged to ask their MPs to support them - community involvement is paramount to our retaining a sense of place - our neighbourhoods are after all the place we call home.  Communities need to have an even greater input in future change, not less.
















We will be responding to the White Paper by the close of play on Thursday 29th Oct. I am sure there will be many late submissions, including the councils.  The Forum committee response will be uploaded to our website, after submission to Government. 

If you do have the chance to sit down with a cuppa to read the White Paper, it is very readable, then please do consider responding to the consultation if you have time. This past month has seen a flurry of Zoom meetings to understand and question the implications of the proposed reformed system, and for this reason I can only apologise for this posting being so late in the day.  You can respond here.

Kind regards and stay safe

Diane Watling
(Chair, North Kingston Neighbourhood Forum)