Levelling Up committee puts Gove under the microscope… lets help them!
Now we all know about the grubby backroom deal that Govey did with the rebel Tory back benchers about the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill… You know, the one where 100 of them threatened to vote against the Bill… that then turned into the insane piece of draft legislation that will facilitate (among other things) scrapping the housing targets for Councils.
Those of you who read my missives regularly will know that I have been harping on about how we should all respond to the Government consultation that includes the National Development Management Policies (NDMPs) promised in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.
Well, now the (quite powerful) Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee (chaired by Labour MP, Clive Betts) announced that they “will be examining the Government’s current consultation on reforms to national planning policy, looking at the proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the Government’s wider approach to planning reform.”
The LUHC Committee’s scrutiny of the reforms to national planning policy is likely to open with an evidence session with planning, local authority, and housing stakeholders. This evidence session is likely to be scheduled in March, after the deadline (on 2 March).
Clive Betts said: “The Government’s consultation on reforms to national planning policy raises a series of issues into areas such as NDMPs and how they might affect the primacy of local plans as well as questions around local housing need, the stated commitment to the housing target, and how this is supported by local plans.
We are already hearing that the uncertainty of what the planning system will look like, and the state of flux over recent years, is now having an impact on planners, councils and developers.
A host of housing and other planning issues, including planning for on-shore wind, are affected by the consultation. We look forward to hearing the views of local councils, housebuilders, planners, and other interested parties, on the Government’s proposed policies and how they might affect planning and housing provision across England.”
NOTE the comment “We want to hear from housebuilders, planners and other interested parties”.
So, there we have it, an invitation to go and make a REAL change. Now, my intention is to compile a list of people, companies and organisations and then we will write to Clive Betts and the committee and offer to come and give evidence.
Who is with me? Do you want to help the committee? If you are interested, please do get in touch and we’ll offer to the committee to appear in front of them and tell them what it is like at the coalface and why they should listen to us.
Either call me on 07736121014 or e-mail henry@theccp.net
Henry