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registered interest false more like this
date less than 2015-03-17more like thismore than 2015-03-17
answering body
Department for Communities and Local Government more like this
answering dept id 7 more like this
answering dept short name Communities and Local Government more like this
answering dept sort name Communities and Local Government more like this
hansard heading Local Plans more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to provide for local authorities who do not produce a local plan to be placed in special measures. more like this
tabling member constituency Nuneaton more like this
tabling member printed
Mr Marcus Jones remove filter
uin 227787 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2015-03-24more like thismore than 2015-03-24
answer text <p>Plan making has significantly improved under this Government. 81% of local planning authorities have at least published their plan and 63% of local planning authorities now have an adopted local plan in place (compared to 17% in 2010).</p><p> </p><p>The Localism Act has strengthened the role of Local Plans, allowing local councils – in consultation with local residents – to draw up plans and determine where new development should and should not go. Paragraph 14 of the National Planning Policy Framework already provides a very strong incentive for councils to have a Local Plan in place. I am aware that the Labour Party's Lyons Review proposed that sanctions should be imposed against councils without a Local Plan and that the Secretary of State should direct the Planning Inspectorate to produce a Local Plan in place of the Council. However, I believe that proposal is excessively centralising, and would be an unpalatable re-creation of the top-down planning regime that we abolished in the Localism Act.</p><p> </p><p>Drawing up a Local Plan can be challenging – it involves trade-offs and hard choices, and there is no longer Regional Planning Guidance or Regional Spatial Strategy imposed from above to hide behind and blame. But it is our preference for this to be a locally-led process.</p><p> </p><p><br><br>The Government has supported local authorities in their Plan making by funding the Planning Advisory Service; the Planning Inspectorate; and senior retired Planning Inspectors to help bring forward sound Local Plans.</p><p> </p><p>This Government introduced neighbourhood planning which offers an unprecedented opportunity for communities to develop plans with statutory force. Over 1,400 communities, representing around 6 million people in England, have now applied for a neighbourhood area to be designated and 59 successful referendums on neighbourhood plans have been held. The Government is committed to supporting communities throughout the process and encouraging more communities to join them. The Government recently announced a new support contract worth £22.5 million, which will begin in April 2015 and last until 2018.</p>
answering member constituency Great Yarmouth more like this
answering member printed Brandon Lewis more like this
grouped question UIN 227786 more like this
question first answered
less than 2015-03-24T18:04:25.043Zmore like thismore than 2015-03-24T18:04:25.043Z
answering member
4009
label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis more like this
tabling member
4024
label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones more like this