NPPF views include North East voice
By Geoff White, Head of Public Policy and Communications, RICS North
RICS has delivered a substantial consultation submission on the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to the Department of Communities and Local Government.
The framework has reduced the existing 1300 or so pages that contain our planning laws and guidance to a document with under 60. It constitutes a radical change in approach and, following the spirit of the government’s localism agenda, aims to reduce the amount of guidance from the centre and encourage more involvement and control at a local level.
RICS has already given a general welcome to the draft NPPF, which has attracted a wide range of both support and criticism from property professionals. While some (mainly developers!) say it hasn’t gone far enough, others (for example the National Trust) suggest it could lead to a planning free for all.
The RICS submission was based on feedback from members across the country. To ensure we included views from the North East, a two-hour roundtable meeting was held in Newcastle where those involved in planning from both the private and public sectors were able to say what they thought within Chatham House Rules.
RICS has also published a Policy Briefing document which highlights the key issues of the NPPF. You can find the document here.