RTPI calls for greater public and parliamentary oversight of proposed National Development Management Policies
The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has warned of a lack of robust standards of public consultation and parliamentary scrutiny in proposed English National Development Management Policies (NDMPs), which are currently being reviewed in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill's (LIRB) third stage of scrutiny in the House of Lords.
The RTPI claimed that, without these safeguards, local communities would have limited engagement in the planning system, potentially leading to decisions made on a national level that do not adequately address local interests and needs.
The concept of NDMPs was briefly introduced in the consultation document for the LURB in December 2022.
Ministers have since suggested that new National Development Management Policies (NDMPs) will cover a range of planning issues, will apply across England and have statutory weight.
Ministers have only offered an 'indicative list' of what NDMPs might cover.
The Government has said that it intends for NDMPs to save plan-makers from having to repeat nationally important policies in their own local plans, "so that plans can be quicker to produce and focus on locally relevant policies".
The RTPI, in collaboration with the University of Liverpool and ARUP, has conducted research highlighting the "urgent need for strong standards of public consultation and parliamentary scrutiny".
The research emphasises the significance of precise rules-based systems in fostering confidence and certainty within the planning system and national policy.
The RTPI called upon peers to recognise the urgency of enhancing public consultation and parliamentary scrutiny within the planning system. By incorporating stronger standards, the interests and needs of local communities can be better represented, ensuring a more inclusive and effective planning process, it suggested.
Commenting on the research, Sue Bridge, President of the RTPI, said: "Public confidence in the planning system has reached an all-time low. Without adequate safeguards, local councils may find themselves compelled to implement national policies that fail to align with the specific needs of their communities. This further erodes confidence in the planning system and jeopardises the integrity of local plans."
Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of the RTPI, said: "National Development Management Policies are a central component of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill. While the ambition of these policies is sound, they must possess flexibility in their approach for their potential to be fully realised.
"By offering a floor, rather than a ceiling, to standards on climate change and other national priorities such as beauty, we can encourage and embrace innovation and local adaptation, whilst maintaining a consistent baseline."
Adam Carey
