“The Government’s flagship planning policy is leading to “inappropriate and unwanted housing development”, MPs have warned.
The cross-party Communities and Local Government Committee also raised concerns that town centres were not being given proper protection against the threat from large out-of-town retail developments.
They called for the Government to scrap rules allowing small shops and offices to be converted to housing without the need for planning permission, arguing that the changes could lead to town centres becoming “an unattractive place to visit or, indeed, live”. …
…The committee said: “Our report has identified a number of issues with the operation of the NPPF: that it is not preventing unsustainable development; that it is leading to communities being subject to inappropriate and unwanted housing development; and that it is giving insufficient protection to England’s town centres.”
But there was no need to “tear up or withdraw” the controversial document, but insisted ministers should ” reinforce its provisions and ensure it does the job it was intended to do”. …
…They said: “Councils that fail to produce a plan surrender their ability to influence the future development of their local areas.”
The committee’s Labour chairman Clive Betts said: “Councils must do more to protect their communities against the threat of undesirable development by by moving quickly to get an adopted local plan in place.”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-2875415/Warning-planning-policy.html
and reviewed in more detail here:
East Devon Watch 