The Department for Communities and Local Government have disregarded many of the recommendations of the influential Communities and Local Government Select Committee inquiry into the operation of National Planning Policy Framework and ‘town centre first’ planning policy.
The committee identified that the Government needed to do more to monitor town centre and out of town development and reinstate policies to ensure that developers are being as flexible as possible to fit new development in town centre locations. However, the Government’s response asserts that the existing planning framework was ‘clear’ on the primacy of town centres.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “The Government’s response has failed to address the ongoing issues with town centre first planning. The framework put in place by Government is simply not working to deliver new retail developments in town centres, with 76% of retail floorspace approved under the NPPF allocated in out of town locations.
“We welcome that the Government has taken a big step in writing to all local authorities and reaffirming the ‘town centre first’ policy, but local authorities still need to apply the sequential test and impact assessment properly, ensuring developers are flexible with the size and location of new developments.”
Select Committee Chairman Clive Betts MP also expressed his disappointment at the Government’s response: “We actually welcomed the NPPF as a step forward, but recommended some adjustments to ensure it addressed the growing number of concerns about unsustainable development. Sadly, the Government’s response shows it is burying its head in the sand about these important public concerns.”
ACS’ evidence “Retail Planning Decision Under the NPPF” highlighted that new retail development under the NPPF has not been delivered in town centres. As a result of ACS evidence, ministers reaffirmed their position on the ‘Town Centre First’ planning policy in the Chief Planning Officer’s letter to local authorities earlier this year.
