{"id":29254,"date":"2016-12-15T10:54:54","date_gmt":"2016-12-15T10:54:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=29254"},"modified":"2016-12-15T11:31:55","modified_gmt":"2016-12-15T11:31:55","slug":"neighbourhood-planning-bill-assurances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/planning-construction-news\/neighbourhood-planning-bill-assurances\/29254\/","title":{"rendered":"Neighbourhood Planning Bill statement offers MPs reassurance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gavin Barwell has offered assurances over concerns raised by MPs relating to the Neighbourhood Planning Bill<\/h2>\n

The Neighbourhood Planning Bill came under scrutiny earlier this week. The Bill<\/a> is making its way through the House of Commons and Lords through the legislative process.<\/p>\n

Neighbourhood planning was introduced through the Localism Act 2011 and remains a vital facet of the government\u2019s manifesto to give more say to local people. The government believes giving communities a measure of control over local affairs boosts local housing supply, with recent analysis showing areas with plans in force have on average 10 per cent more homes planned than those set out by local planning authorities.<\/p>\n

However, a number of concerns have been raised by MPs as the Bill made its way through the Commons earlier this week. In a statement released on Tuesday, Housing and Planning Minister Gavin Barwell offered assurances that these worries would be addressed.<\/p>\n

Amendments tabled<\/h3>\n

A number of amendments to the Bill have been tabled. This included one that would see local planning authorities consult neighbourhood planning bodies on decisions to grant planning permissions.<\/p>\n

Barwell said: \u201cThe Government confirms that where a planning application conflicts with a neighbourhood plan that has been brought into force, planning permission should not normally be granted.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, communities who have been proactive and worked hard to bring forward neighbourhood plans are often frustrated that their plan is being undermined because their local planning authority cannot demonstrate a five-year land supply of deliverable housing sites.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is because Paragraph 49 of the National Planning Policy Framework states that if the local planning authority cannot demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing sites relevant policies for the supply of housing should not be considered up-to-date, and housing applications should be considered in the context of the presumption in favour of sustainable development.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs more communities take up the opportunity to shape their area we need to make sure planning policy is suitable for a system with growing neighbourhood plan coverage.<\/p>\n

\u201cBuilding on proposals to further strengthen neighbourhood planning through the Neighbourhood Planning Bill, I am today making clear that where communities plan for housing in their area in a neighbourhood plan, those plans should not be deemed to be out-of-date unless there is a significant lack of land supply for housing in the wider local authority area.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are also offering those communities who brought forward their plans in advance of this statement time to review their plans.\u201d<\/p>\n

Community plans should be protected<\/h3>\n

Barwell said policies for the supply of housing in a neighbourhood plan should not be deemed out of date under paragraph 49 of the National Planning Policy Framework if the following circumstances arise at the time the decision is made:<\/p>\n