NALC backs standardised planning agreements but calls for stronger community protections

We have welcomed proposals to introduce standardised Section 106 planning agreement templates for medium-sized development sites, while calling for stronger protections for local communities and neighbourhood plans.

Responding to a government consultation on standard planning agreements for medium-sized sites, we said standard templates could improve consistency, transparency and efficiency in the process of securing developer contributions, which can be complex and time-consuming.

However, we stressed that local planning authorities must have the resources and powers needed to monitor and enforce Section 106 agreements and planning conditions, ensuring developers deliver the commitments made as part of planning permission.

We also called for parish and town councils to be meaningfully involved in preparing, amending and renegotiating Section 106 agreements where these affect their communities.

We want parish and town councils to have greater flexibility over how Section 106 contributions are spent, including investment in leisure, recreation and community facilities where these are needed to mitigate the impacts of new development.

Our response also highlighted the importance of neighbourhood planning, calling for stronger protection for adopted neighbourhood plans. Planning authorities and other decision-makers should be required to consult the secretary of state before granting permission for certain types of development that conflict with an adopted neighbourhood plan.

We believe standardised agreements should support a more effective planning system while ensuring developer commitments are delivered, and parish and town councils have a meaningful voice in shaping development and securing benefits for their communities.