HBF Planning Conference 2022

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A lack of detail is a strong theme of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill (LURB), according to Clive Betts MP, chair of the DLUHC Select Committee.

Giving an overview of the Committee’s scrutiny of the LURB at the Home Builders Federation's Planning Conference, Betts said “a sense of a lack of detail keeps coming over and over again" with the Bill, currently passing through parliament. There was little information, for example, on the government’s proposed National Development Management Policies.

On these he raised concerns; under the proposals these could override local plans. “That’s not helpful,” Betts commented. “If local plans are going to be key, putting in a clause to overwrite them doesn’t seem demonstrative.”

The Committee was arguing for a draft Bill, he continued. “This would come to the Committee for scrutiny and produce proposals that are a lot better thought through and a lot better tested.” 

And if local plans were set to be central, “we need to increase public participation in their formulation. If we’re going to engage, it should be earlier in the process.”

Also speaking at the conference, Joanna Averley, DLUHC’s chief planner, acknowledged the slow pace of planning reform. But she said the department was making progress on multiple agendas while inviting in a new suite of ministers following the change in prime minister.

She also stated to delegates the importance of evidence-based research when submitting plans.

Other speakers picked up on the theme of a lack of detail and certainty within planning, chiefly on the LURB. Satnam Choongh, barrister at No.5 Chambers, said: “The LURB started with the Planning White Paper [of 2020]. The noises coming out of it then are very different to now, but the framework is the same.  

“This is about how the government resolves the conflict between being pro-growth and giving more power to the local level which hasn’t shown a lot of enthusiasm in growth.” 

Matt Spilsbury, CBRE’s senior director, who outlined the new Infrastructure Levy - another component of the LURB - said there was “no clarity over how the system will perform. I’m shocked the government has got this far without publishing [an impact assessment] on what is a monumental shift in the system”. 

Richard Blyth, head of policy practice and research at the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), addressed resource difficulties in local planning departments. He pointed to RTPI’s proposal to help fill the gap – planning agencies which would be a voluntary, shared services model that LPAs could use. 

And Dean Swann, technical director at master developer and consultant Brookbanks, looked at possible ways to create nutrient credits to tackle the nutrient neutrality issue. This included fallowing sites and creating wetlands. Any solution would centre on “how you best use your land to create credits”.  

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