The Government recently published its much anticipated draft National Policy Planning Framework (NPPF). The draft NPPF would reduce over 1,000 pages of planning policy to just 52. It recognises the important role that the planning system can play in the economic recovery and emphasises the need for planning authorities to plan proactively to meet the needs of businesses.
Why should it matter to manufacturers?
The draft NPPF is one of the most welcome planning documents to come out of central Government for many years. A business-friendly planning system can only benefit manufacturers as they respond to changing and uncertain economic circumstances.
In practical terms the draft NPPF should make the planning system much more accessible to manufacturers and allow them to better respond to their own changing requirements.
There is no doubt that current planning policy, which extends to over 1,000 pages has, historically, been and continues to be, responsible for inhibiting many manufacturers' strategy for growth and development. However, we hope that this simpler, more business focused approach, if adopted, will serve to encourage manufacturers to realise ambitions that might have otherwise been thwarted by the complexities of the old regime.
About the draft NPPF
A key issue for the sector, recognised at The Manufacturers' Summit 2011 (held earlier this year) as well in a recent survey conducted by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, highlighted that the rising cost of energy continues to be a prime concern for manufacturers. The NPPF requires planning authorities to work with other authorities to assess the quality and capacity of energy infrastructure and its ability to meet forecast demands. Planning authorities must also ensure security of supply of industrial and energy minerals to support their use in manufacturing processes and energy generation.
Since its publication the NPPF has attracted much criticism, most notably from the National Trust, which commented that the reforms could lead to 'unchecked and damaging development in the countryside on a scale not seen since the 1930s'. The National Trust response to the reforms contains a photograph of the Los Angeles' urban sprawl on its website with the implication that this is the future for many areas of the countryside if the Government does not rethink the proposals.
At the heart of the controversy is the NPPF's presumption in favour of sustainable development. Critics of the reforms seem to have conveniently ignored the word 'sustainable' and regarded the proposals as containing simply a presumption in favour of development.
The NPPF defines sustainable development as 'development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'. The document goes on to say that delivering sustainable development means planning for prosperity, people and places. The last of those specifically explains that the planning system should be used to 'protect and enhance our natural, built and historic environment'.
The NPPF states that planning permission should be granted where the Local Plan is absent, silent or out of date. The National Trust rightly points out that many local authorities do not have Local Plans in place, however, it fails to mention there is an exception to this where 'the adverse impacts of allowing development would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits'.
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