North West council defers local plan consultation ahead of government planning reforms

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council has become the latest council to pause consultation on its Local Plan following the Government's announcement of forthcoming changes to the planning system.

Stockport said it took the decision due to a statement earlier this month from the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, which promised changes to housing targets for local areas and to Green Belt protections.

Gove's statement unveiled plans to consult on changes to the method for calculating local housing need figures, a 'rebalancing' of the relationship between planning authorities and the Planning Inspectorate, and an end to the obligation on local authorities to maintain a five-year housing land supply where their plans are up to date.

The proposed changes are to be set out in an upcoming National Planning Policy Framework prospectus, which the Government had said would be put out for consultation by Christmas.

Stockport had been set to consult on a draft of its local plan, which it began developing in 2017.

"The decision to defer is not one that has been taken lightly and legal advice has been taken to inform this decision," the council said.

It added: "We will review the position and update on a revised timetable as soon as we are able to do so. We remain committed to having the right Local Plan for Stockport and do not want to put unnecessary burdens on our communities at this time by consulting on a plan that might not now fit Government guidance."

Stockport joins Mole Valley District Council in pausing its local plan process in light of the Government's plans.

Commenting on its decision, Mole Valley's Cabinet Member for Planning, Cllr Margaret Cooksey, said: "[It] would be unwise to carry on when we are not sure what the wider national planning policy situation is so we have committed to wait until such time that the Inspector can advise us on what should be done next."

There has also been a report in Housing Today that Horsham District Council in Sussex and Teignbridge District Council in Devon postponed scheduled council meetings that were due to consider the next stages of their respective local plans, citing Gove’s change of policy.

Adam Carey