Proposed reforms to the national planning process could increase inequalities and undermine ministers' 'levelling up' agenda, council directors have warned.
The Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) is calling on the Government to rethink its proposals arguing they lack 'vital detail' and risk 'exacerbating inequalities in different areas of the country through skewing the process to favour high value areas'.
ADEPT's response to the Government’s Planning for the Future White Paper, which is now closed to consultation, said: 'The proposals are likely to lead to increased inequalities across the country through an unfair distribution of resources that favours higher value areas such as London and parts of the South East, disenfranchising local communities in the process.'
'These inequalities are likely to be compounded by imposing a national, top-down approach that does not reflect the local social, economic, environmental and financial challenges faced by local areas,' ADEPT added.
Highlighting the extent of the proposed changes of the reforms, ADEPT argued that the reforms represent the most radical set of changes since 1947 and will have 'profound repercussions for generations to come'.
The plans miss 'a once-in-a-generation opportunity to place the climate and biodiversity emergencies at the heart of the English planning system' and also fail to seize the opportunity to use planning to help build healthier communities, the association said.
ADEPT president, Nigel Riglar said: 'The pandemic is bringing communities closer to their local places. They want to see more attention given to green spaces, biodiversity and tackling climate change. They want their places to become healthier, more inclusive and resilient. And, most importantly, they want to have their say, not only on the principles of development through local and neighbourhood plans, but also on individual schemes.
'As it stands, the White Paper risks losing local accountability, reducing the influence of communities and their democratically elected representatives through increased deregulation.
'We believe a major reform of the planning system is overdue and presents a valuable opportunity to truly plan for the future through creating a collaborative approach. ADEPT wants to work with government to ensure a new, simplified planning system that will enable local democratic involvement, has a climate focus and will support levelling-up across the country.'
ADEPT also suggested that the reforms appear to penalise local authorities for the actions of developers or other factors outside of their control.
One part of the White Paper proposes 'a new nationally determined, binding housing requirement that local planning authorities would have to deliver through their Local Plans'.
'This would be focused on areas where affordability pressure is highest to stop land supply being a barrier to enough homes being built. We propose that this would factor in land constraints, including the Green Belt, and would be consistent with our aspirations of creating a housing market that is capable of delivering 300,000 homes annually, and one million homes over this Parliament.'
However, according to the Local Government Association more than a million homes that were granted planning permission in the past decade have not yet been built.
ADEPT's full response to the White Paper can be read here.
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