Statement on the National Planning Policy Framework consultation
Lancaster City Council has welcomed the opportunity to respond to proposals for the reform of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
Last week the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government released proposals to make changes to the NPPF, a key policy document which governs development across England.
It includes the reintroduction of housing targets, dropped by the previous government in December last year, and the introduction of a different standard method under which they will be calculated.
The new method will produce a housing figure for each local authority district, and it will then be up to each council to determine how and where it will meet that figure.
For the Lancaster district, the existing method calculates a housing need of 415 houses to be provided per year. Under the proposed new standard method, as calculated by Government, this figure rises to 698 houses per year, an increase of 283 properties.
Councillor Jean Parr, cabinet member with responsibility for planning and placemaking, said: “The NPPF is clearly in need of reform and we welcome the opportunity to respond to this comprehensive consultation.
“The Government has made it clear that local authorities are expected to have an up-to-date Local Plan, something which is only the case for around 40% of councils. Having adopted its current plan in 2020, in addition to having started work on a new draft, the city council is well placed.
“For now, the consultation proposals do not change the district’s housing position. Our current housing targets are enshrined in our adopted Local Plan and the council will continue trying to deliver housing in acceptable locations.”
The NPPF and planning system consultation is detailed and the council will analyse the proposals in depth before submitting a response. As part of the process the council has written to the district’s active Parish and Town Councils to make them aware of the consultation and advise them how to submit their own representations.
Last updated: 06 August 2024