All Party Parliamentary Groups (APPG's) Meet to Discuss Planning System

Alan and Gillian Postill represented Marple Civic Society at a joint session between the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Civic Societies and the APPG for Local Democracy in a debate                            on the National Planning Policy framework.

The session was co-chaired by Craig Mackinley MP (chair APPG for Civic Societies), and Scott Mann MP (Vice-chair APPG on Local Democracy); the speakers on the panel were: Clive Betts MP (chair Local Government Select Committee), Baroness Parminter (Lib-Dem. Lords Principal spokesperson for Environment, Food and Rural affairs), Lord Porter (chairman of the Local Government Association).

The session explored the efficiency of the Planning System and how communities can be given a greater voice in the existing planning policy.

Key points of the debate were:

Panel chair Craig Mackinley MP with
panel members Clive Betts MP, and Baroness Parminter 

• Neighbourhood Planning is being pushed up the political agenda.  However, in spite of powerful lobbying by Civic Voice and others, with cross party support, a right of appeal against planning decisions contrary to Neighbourhood Plans was not included in the recent Housing and Planning Bill.   Baroness Parminter said that Government has agreed to review the update process and her campaign for a right of appeal would continue.

• Lord Porter said that he strongly approved of the NPPF and suggested that it should put local communities at the heart of local government.  He pointed out that the UK needs 250,000 new homes each year just to keep up with growth - a target that no government has achieved without direct intervention.
• Clive Betts commented that Planning is frequently seen as an obstacle to growth, this is not true.  As an example he cited that there are 470,000 planning consents in place in England and Wales.  It was suggested that frequently it is not in the developers interest to build more houses since it could force down prices.
• Clive Betts commented that Planning should not be seen as an obstacle but as a way for communities to shape their area.
• John Walker (Civic Voice Trustee) suggested that "Collaborative Planning" as proposed in the Civic Voice manifesto would speed up the planning process.

A short video (4 minutes) of edited highlights from the debate can be seen HERE