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English planning shake-up to be unveiled English planning shake-up 'will help boost homes'
(about 1 hour later)
  
Ministers say changes to England's planning system, being unveiled later, will mean local people are more involved in the process. The government says that new planning guidelines for England will "help build the homes the next generation needs", boost jobs and protect the countryside.
They are publishing a revised national planning policy framework, following a row with conservation groups over last year's draft plans. Planning Minister Greg Clark told MPs the old, complex system "sorely needed" reform as it had "ground ever slower".
Ministers said it would simplify a complex system and help boost growth. But he said he had made some changes to the draft plans - which had faced stiff opposition from conservation groups.
But critics argued that a "presumption in favour of sustainable development" amounted to a "developer's charter". Friends of the Earth has said it is worried the new guidelines will "unleash a building free-for-all".
The revised national planning policy framework is due to be published on Tuesday - and will be implemented immediately.
The draft version of the new guidelines reduced a 1,300-page document to 52 pages - the final booklet is just 50.
In a statement to MPs, Mr Clark said that under old "top-down" targets, communities had begun to see planning as something that was "done to them, rather than by them".
Meanwhile the average age of first-time buyers was "approaching 40" and with rising rents, families were spending more on housing than on their children, he said.
'Keystone'
He said he had accepted, in whole or in part, 30 of 35 recommendations made by the communities and local government select committee - including a reference to local plans, drawn up by councils, remaining "the keystone" of planning rules.
And he said a controversial reference to a "presumption in favour of sustainable development" made clear that that should work through, not against local plans.
He said the new framework "will help build the homes the next generation needs, it supports growth to allow employers to create the jobs our constituencies need, it protects what we hold dear, in our matchless countryside and in the fabric of our history". Powers would be passed from "remote bodies" into the hands of communities, he added.
Critics of last year's draft plans have argued that the "presumption in favour of sustainable development" amounted to a "developer's charter".
The government has been criticised for being too vague about what amounts to "sustainable development" and for saying in the draft plans that the "default answer to development proposals" should be "yes" - unless it compromised "key sustainable development principles".The government has been criticised for being too vague about what amounts to "sustainable development" and for saying in the draft plans that the "default answer to development proposals" should be "yes" - unless it compromised "key sustainable development principles".
'Public interest'
But Chancellor George Osborne has argued that the complex planning system "puts at risk young people's future prosperity and quality of life" and simplifying it is "key to our economic recovery".But Chancellor George Osborne has argued that the complex planning system "puts at risk young people's future prosperity and quality of life" and simplifying it is "key to our economic recovery".
Planning Minister Greg Clark is due to make a statement about the new plans - which have been drawn up following consultation with developers, environmental groups and others and will come into force immediately - to MPs at about 1230 BST.
Asked to explain what amounted to sustainable development, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "What it means is there is a test as to whether, in effect, it would be in the public interest to approve an application.
"If there are reasons, for example if it destroys the environment, if it builds on the green belt, if it builds outside a town centre if it's a commercial premises when you want to keep town centres thriving, then that would not be sustainable, it would not be in the public interest and so it should not go ahead."
He said the idea behind the presumption was to simplify a complex system - which people had felt imposed targets on them, rather than involving them from the beginning.
He said if you "take people from the beginning along with you" the chances were "tensions" over planning applications would ease.
The draft version of the new guidelines reduced a 1,300-page document to 52 pages - the final booklet is just 50.
'Garden-grabbing''Garden-grabbing'
Asked to explain what amounted to sustainable development, Mr Clark told the BBC earlier: "What it means is there is a test as to whether, in effect, it would be in the public interest to approve an application.
"If there are reasons, for example if it destroys the environment, if it builds on the green belt, if it builds outside a town centre if it's a commercial premises when you want to keep town centres thriving, then that would not be sustainable, it would not be in the public interest and so it should not go ahead."
It is understood that the reworked framework will say councils should encourage development on "brownfield" sites first - those already built on in the past.It is understood that the reworked framework will say councils should encourage development on "brownfield" sites first - those already built on in the past.
The first version had been criticised for not doing so - but the presumption in favour of sustainable development remains in the plans.The first version had been criticised for not doing so - but the presumption in favour of sustainable development remains in the plans.
It has also been reported that a new clause is likely to be inserted into the paper creating new rules against "garden-grabbing" - the selling of garden land for extra development.It has also been reported that a new clause is likely to be inserted into the paper creating new rules against "garden-grabbing" - the selling of garden land for extra development.
Whitehall sources say they believe there are sufficient assurances for green campaigners in the new plans, but say it will still be an "unashamedly pro-growth document".Whitehall sources say they believe there are sufficient assurances for green campaigners in the new plans, but say it will still be an "unashamedly pro-growth document".
Opponents of the draft plan included the National Trust, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and Friends of the Earth.Opponents of the draft plan included the National Trust, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and Friends of the Earth.
'Untested approach''Untested approach'
Ahead of Tuesday's publication Friends of the Earth's campaigns director Craig Bennett said: "A strong planning system is vital for building the clean economy promised by government, but there are mounting concerns that ministers will unleash a building free-for-all that will infuriate local communities and devastate our countryside."Ahead of Tuesday's publication Friends of the Earth's campaigns director Craig Bennett said: "A strong planning system is vital for building the clean economy promised by government, but there are mounting concerns that ministers will unleash a building free-for-all that will infuriate local communities and devastate our countryside."
He said the new regulations "must spell out what is meant by 'sustainable development' - to ensure the right buildings are built in the right place and in the best interests of local people and our environment".He said the new regulations "must spell out what is meant by 'sustainable development' - to ensure the right buildings are built in the right place and in the best interests of local people and our environment".
The CPRE has also said it feared the planning changes would not deliver enough affordable homes - one of the key benefits supporters say they will provide.The CPRE has also said it feared the planning changes would not deliver enough affordable homes - one of the key benefits supporters say they will provide.
And Roberta Blackman-Woods, for Labour, said: "The government's planning reforms could cause widespread chaos with many developments held up, while the courts decide how to interpret this radically new and untested approach.And Roberta Blackman-Woods, for Labour, said: "The government's planning reforms could cause widespread chaos with many developments held up, while the courts decide how to interpret this radically new and untested approach.
"This would both harm the house building we desperately need and put our countryside and green spaces at risk of unwanted development.""This would both harm the house building we desperately need and put our countryside and green spaces at risk of unwanted development."
But Simon Nunn, from the National Housing Federation, said the new regulations were a step in the right direction: "I don't think it's going to unleash a development free for all. But Simon Nunn, from the National Housing Federation, said the new regulations were a step in the right direction: "I don't think it's going to unleash a development free-for-all.
"There's a housing crisis in the country, we're only building half the homes that we need. Planning is part of the jigsaw and I think that a positive planning framework combined with the right investment framework will help us.""There's a housing crisis in the country, we're only building half the homes that we need. Planning is part of the jigsaw and I think that a positive planning framework combined with the right investment framework will help us."