Planning to protect the countryside Ramblers General Council 13 April 2013 Paul Miner, MA MRTPI FRGS Senior Planning Officer

Pledge to maintain national protective designations New legislation aims: deregulation more local autonomy community involvement Planning policy changes New CPRE report: Countryside Promises, Planning Realities The Coalition and planning Will planners continue to value the countryside?

Localism Act: the main changes General power of competence Pre-determination rules Pre-application consultation New enforcement powers National projects: some procedural changes Will planners continue to value the countryside?

Intrinsic value of countryside (17) National and local landscape designations ( ) Local authorities should protect ‘areas of tranquillity’ (123) Plan for biodiversity at a landscape scale (114) Local green space (76-77) Open space / National Trails (74/75) Undeveloped coast (114) The wider countryside: relevant national policies Will planners continue to value the countryside?

Development plans: the main changes Will planners continue to value the countryside? No RSS, but a ‘duty to co-operate’ More flexibility to prepare ‘Local Plans’ SPDs discouraged unless promoting development Neighbourhood Plans LPA discretion to review inspector recommendations and re-submit Local finance considerations

Need to meet ‘full, objectively assessed needs’ Five year supply plus 5% - 20% buffer Encourage use of brownfield land, including windfalls Rural Exception Sites Viability / deliverability Housing development: the main changes Will planners continue to value the countryside?

Onus on planning authorities to secure good land management New tests for new or extended Green Belt Defining boundaries Brownfield sites and ‘local transport infrastructure’ Green Belt: the main changes Will planners continue to value the countryside?

Greater focus on local plans Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) ‘Town centre first’ remains, but with exemptions Enterprise Zones and added pressure to remove unreasonable employment land allocations Town centres and business development: the main changes Will planners continue to value the countryside?

Strong design policy, considering local character, history, identity and materials Designation of new conservation areas is strongly discouraged Stronger and tighter focus on the significance of heritage assets Heritage and design Will planners continue to value the countryside?

Growth and Infrastructure Bill: changes to stopping up of public paths and town / village greens Permitted development rights to be extended ‘Poorly performing’ local planning authorities in special measures Matthew Taylor: review of guidance It’s not just the NPPF… Will planners continue to value the countryside?

Have your say on local plans and promote countryside protection policies and priorities. Submit your ideas at the earliest stage. Use the concept of ‘smart growth’ to respond to Government economic priorities Respond to planning applications Get involved in producing neighbourhood or parish plans How you can influence planners Will planners continue to value the countryside?

National campaigns to protect wider countryside, and to reduce noise and light pollution Local planning expertise: network of county branches and district groups Planning Hotline, Thursday afternoon, available to CPRE members Planning Help website How CPRE can help Will planners continue to value the countryside?