Cautious Welcome for Planning Blueprint
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8 NEWS www.EDP24.co.uk/news Eastern Daily Press, Wednesday, March 28, 2012 (DVWHUQ'DLO\3UHVV The simplified Established 1870 NPPF document Building a strong, sets out 12 core Prospect House, Rouen Road, competitive economy planning principles Norwich NR1 1RE Cautious To create jobs and prosperity, local which it says Switchboard 01603 628311 should underpin plans should set out a clear Norwich Newsdesk 07501 481521 strategy which encourages growth, Editor Peter Waters both the creation Senior content editors Peter Hannam of local plans and and identify priority areas for David Powles decision-making: 1 economic regeneration. Land Head of sport Chris Lakey allocations should be regularly Business editor Shaun Lowthorpe reviewed, and the long-term Agricultural editor Michael Pollitt welcome protection of sites for employment Features editor Trevor Heaton Senior photographer Steve Adams use should be avoided where there Correspondents: is no reasonable prospect of a site Crime Peter Walsh being used for that purpose Health Kim Briscoe Education Victoria Leggett Rural Affairs Chris Hill Broads Stephen Pullinger Public Affairs Dan Grimmer for planning Ensuring the vitality Editorial fax 01603 623872 E-MAIL of town centres To contact any of our staff reporters or Planning authorities should recognise correspondents use this style: town centres as the heart of their [email protected] communities. The NPPF says councils Newsdesk [email protected] Letters [email protected] should apply a sequential test which blueprint requires applications for “main town ADVERTISING centre uses” to be located first in Commercial director Chris Moore 2 In its earlier draft form, the town centres, then in edge-of-centre Advertising 01603 693875 Final revisions to the locations. Meanwhile, out-of-centre Classified 01603 660101 government’s simplified National Leaflets 01603 772130 Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) government’s planning sites not in accordance with local Photo sales 01603 772449 brought howls of criticism from plans should only be considered if www.edp24.co.uk/buyaphoto other suitable sites are not available, Postal subscriptions 01603 772738 outraged conservation groups. reforms have earned a But those initial fears – of a and once the impact of the proposal Advertising fax 01603 623225 on town centre trade has been Email [email protected] development free-for-all which would cautious welcome in concrete over our most treasured considered. ARCHANT ANGLIA countryside – were, for the most part, the countryside. Rural Managing director Johnny Hustler Finance director Luke Stone allayed yesterday by planning minister affairs correspondent Circulation director Don Williamson Greg Clark as he unveiled the final Supporting a revisions to the document. CHRIS HILL reports. prosperous rural BECCLES 01502 711800 Mr Clark told MPs that 1,000 pages 20 Blyburgate, Beccles NR34 9TB of “impenetrable jargon” had been economy David Lennard reduced into about 50 pages of clear framework will be how it works in CROMER 01263 512732 guidance on the planning policies practice. Local planning policies should support 31 Church Street, Cromer NR27 9ES which should be adopted by local Caroline Davison, planning and rural growth by supporting projects Community editor Richard Batson councils. He said the existing planning campaigns manager for the Norfolk including building conversions, regime had become too costly, too branch of the Campaign to Protect diversification of agricultural land, DEREHAM 01362 854701 3 tourism and leisure developments Bond House, High St, Dereham complicated and too uncertain in an Rural England (CPRE), said: “The NR19 1DZ economy where houses were urgently government has listened to some of which “respect the character of the Community editor Ian Clarke needed and rural businesses must be the very real concerns many of us countryside”. They should also free to expand and thrive. have about the well-being of our promote the retention of community DISS 01379 651153 The adopted NPPF retains the precious countryside. facilities such as shops, pubs and 26 Mere Street, Diss IP22 4AD churches. Community editor Adam Gretton “presumption in favour of sustainable “It is reassuring that Mr Clark stated development” which was the cause for that the new framework recognises FAKENHAM 01328 862678 much of the earlier consternation. the intrinsic value of the ordinary 22 Norwich Street, Fakenham NR21 9AE But Mr Clark said local plans, rather countryside. In Norfolk 70pc of the Senior reporter Adam Lazzari than regional house-building countryside is undesignated and GREAT YARMOUTH 01493 847954 strategies, would be the keystone of therefore vulnerable to development, 169 King Street, Yarmouth NR30 2PA the new system, and that local and so we will be studying the new Community editor Anne Edwards decisions would balance the social, wording of this part of the framework Promoting sustainable economic and environmental factors with great interest. KING’S LYNN 01553 777622 which define a “sustainable “It has been the CPRE argument all transport St Ann’s House, St Ann’s Street, King’s Lynn PE30 1LT development”. along that planning regulation is not The transport system needs to be Community editor Chris Bishop The minister also offered an the main thing holding back the “balanced in favour of sustainable assurance that the new guidance economy. There is little evidence that transport modes”, with LONDON 020 7219 3384 would not override existing protections the reforms will provide the required encouragement given to solutions Press Gallery, House of Commons, London for green belts, national parks and economic boost, but they could SW1A 0AA 4 which support reductions in Political editor Joseph Watts sites of special scientific interest, and seriously affect national well-being if greenhouse gas emissions and London correspondent Ian Collins that it recognised the “intrinsic value” they are allowed to do long-term reduce congestion. Large-scale of all countryside, whether or not it damage to our countryside.” housing developments should be LOWESTOFT 01502 525835 was designated. Richard Powell, director for the laid out with a mix of uses so that 147 London Road North, Rural campaigners said they National Trust in the East of England, Lowestoft NR32 1NB schools and shops are located Community editor Max Bennett believed the minister had made said he was pleased that the within walking distance of most “significant progress” towards controversial “default yes” to properties. SWAFFHAM 01362 854703 meeting their concerns, and welcomed development had been removed from Senior reporter Daisy Wallage the acknowledgement that use of the NPPF – but he also retained some brownfield land should be a core concerns. “I’m concerned that THETFORD 01362 854714 Senior reporter Rebecca Gough planning objective. But they said the although on paper the government ultimate proof of the new policy has listened to reason, the places we The authority, along with its partner month. That will provide some Twitter: twitter.com/edp24 love may still be under threat from a councils in Norwich and South protection for our communities Facebook: facebook.com/edp24 system that is under-resourced,” he Norfolk, also faces uncertainty over against inappropriate speculative said. “The danger is that nearly half the Joint Core Strategy (JCS) which applications by giving some SHORT MESSAGE SERVICE (SMS): For full competition terms, privacy policy and of the local authorities in England outlines house-building targets across consistency and transparency to the opt out visit www.edp24.co.uk/terms. have still to finalise their core the Greater Norwich area – elements sort of criteria that members of the By responding to promotions, offers and strategies (which plan development in of which were successfully challenged council will need to apply when competitions you agree that the EDP and the long-term) and the reforms give by a local campaign group. considering applications.” other Archant companies may contact you by them very little time to adopt them. I A spokesman for Broadland District Stewart Lindsay, a member of the email, post or SMS with offers that may be of interest. You will not be charged for fear that in the short term at least, a Council said: “We broadly welcome Stop Norwich Urbanisation (SNUB) receiving these messages. You may opt out lack of clarity across the country and the NPPF because it simplifies group which raised the legal challenge anytime by texting STOP to the originating a shift in lobbying and pressure by government guidance and will against the JCS, said: “We welcome number. developers may cause real damage to therefore make the planning process the fact that we still have robust the nature of the communities we all more accessible for all concerned. planning legislation there to stop Material accepted for publication in the EDP may also be published on the internet. live in and love.” “However, concerns have been raised speculative developers from running The EDP is fully committed to the Press One of the many planning by some people that the framework amok – providing the government Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. authorities yet to complete its local will result in some significant gaps in sticks to its word and gives power to If you have a complaint which cannot be development framework is Broadland planning guidance. So in order to the local people. Local people should resolved by the editor, write to the Press District Council, which is preparing make sure that residents are not be involved in saying what their needs Complaints Commission, Halton House, 22-23 Holborn, London EC1N 2JD an interim planning policy to stave affected by any such gaps Broadland are.” The Country Land and Business off any speculative planning is working on an interim planning Association, (CLA) said the planning ‘NEW WORDING’: Caroline Davison, applications until specific growth policy statement which we are reforms were a “shot in the arm” www.EDP24.co.uk of the CPRE. plans can be finalised.