May 24 2007
The Government’s Planning White Paper was published by the Department for Communities and Local Government yesterday afternoon. Among the key points of most interest to the RIBA are:
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a new national policy framework for major infrastructure projects with a independent infrastructure planning commission to conduct inquiries and make decisions;
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removal of planning permission requirements for minor developments;
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simpler information requirements for planning applications
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new fast-track appeals system;
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reform and proposals to increase planning fees;
RIBA President Jack Pringle said:
“Good design and environmental sustainability need to be at the heart of a humane planning system – but on design grounds the White Paper has failed to deliver.
“We support deregulation, but not at any price. Of course we welcome efforts to cut red tape on microgeneration or small-scale applications so that planning attention can be focussed where it needs to be. But unless good design is entrenched into the planning system, it just means that poor decisions can be made a little more quickly. Kate Barker supported our calls for local design review panels, design champions and an intolerance of poor design. The Government’s record to date on design has been very good, but it’s a pity that the White Paper offers nothing new to safeguard design standards further.
“We are glad to see investment in planning skills and while we’ve always supported more resources for planning departments, we are worried that the Government’s proposals for premium-rate planning fees will do nothing to improve the quality of decisions and will instead introduce a two-tier system.
“For the RIBA, the key point is about driving quality into the planning system. With its White Paper, the Government has delivered on quantity but not on quality.”