News
NALC urges the government to keep planning local
The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has urged the government to keep planning local and democratic.
Responding this week to the latest Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities consultation on permitted development rights, NALC argued that while it agreed that more housing and affordable housing should be built (especially in rural areas), permitted development rights being the sole means to this end was not the answer. NALC stated these aims should be realised through democratic local planning authorities after consultation with local (parish and town) councils.
The consultation contains proposed changes to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, which covers supporting housing delivery, the agricultural sector, businesses, high streets and open prisons. The consultation also contains a call for evidence from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFA) seeking views on nature-based solutions, farm efficiency projects and diversification.