LGA backs speeding up of plan-making process but warns on 30-month timeframe
The Local Government Association (LGA) has detailed its support for much of the Government's proposed reforms to the plan-making process set out by the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill (LURB).
In a consultation, which was held between July and 18 October this year, the Government asked for stakeholders to comment on proposals in LURB aimed at making local plans "simpler, faster to prepare and more accessible".
These proposals include a requirement for planning authorities to keep their local plan on one single document, a 30-month timeframe to prepare and adopt a plan, and mandatory assessments of the plan during its preparation stage.
The proposals would also require councils to update their plans within five years of the adoption of their previous plan and include new protections from speculative development.
In a briefing detailing its response to the consultation, the LGA said it supported the plan-making process being sped up, "but only where there is no dilution of plan quality, and democratic and community engagement".
The LGA said it was clear from the consultation proposals that the 30-month timeframe for plan preparation was “an aspirational timeframe”.
It added: "Whilst we support faster plan production, given the uncertainty that remains on necessary plan content, including the scope of national and local [development management] policies, what evidence will be considered proportionate to collect, and the type of data standardisation and template availability, it is not possible at this time to lend our full support to a 30-month timeframe."
Under the proposals, the 30-month timeframe will be punctuated by three' gateway assessments' of the local plan, which a person appointed by the Government will undertake.
The three gateway assessments would take place at the beginning, middle and end of the plan-preparation stage and are aimed at ensuring the plan sets off in the right direction, that any potential soundness issues get resolved early, and that legal and procedural compliance is ensured.
The LGA said it supported the purposes of such assessments but disagreed with the Government's plan to charge planning authorities for them.
The LGA also voiced support for proposals to speed up the examination process by shortening the length of consultation for main modification consultation.
It also said it was "fully supportive" of proposals in the consultation to harness digital technologies to improve plan-making, but added that it was not convinced that digitisation alone would be the answer.
However, the LGA suggested that despite supporting much of the proposed reforms, resourcing problems in the sector could scupper any attempt at implementing them.
It said: "Overall, there is a significant challenge in resourcing local planning authority teams.
"Councils all over England are struggling to recruit and retain planners. Steps have started to be taken by Government, such as the planning skills delivery fund, the Pathways to Planning and Public Practice schemes and the committed (but as of yet unimplemented) uplift to planning fees, though sudden changes will not appear overnight and we are likely to continue to face the same resourcing and capacity challenges for a while yet.
"This may have a distinct impact on the roll-out of these plan-making reforms and the laudable aims of digitisation."
Adam Carey
