Planning Minister tells developers to consult before submitting applications

MPs have endorsed the Government's new proposal to enforce a framework of consultation in the planning process - and the Planning Minister has encouraged developers to consult before submitting planning applications for significant development under the new laws.

Statements of community involvement

Minister Tony McNulty said the directive, which ensures consultation with local stakeholders, was: 'a fundamental, statutory element of the process of drawing together the local development scheme'.

Discussions at committee stage have centred around getting the Government to state how the process will work. For example, the statement (which is a statutory measure) does not at present have a mechanism in which best practice can be advised and followed. Neither is it clear that business will be involved. As Tory MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown has said,

'unless the local community feels involved it will become alienated from the planning system and more and more disenchanted with local authorities and other bodies involved in the system.'

The consultants Llewellyn Davies are preparing a report for the Government on how the statements will work, which is to be published before the Bill goes to the House of Lords. This will be available by report stage in early February.

Minister Tony McNulty has clarified that the statements will affect all aspects of the planning process - not just the strategic Local Plan/LDP process but individual planning applications. Government regulations will set out minimum standards for community engagement, and are intended to highlight best practice without being onerous for local government:

'The greater the community participation at the earliest stage in the drawing up of local development documents and in various aspects of local planning, the greater the legitimacy of the subsequent decisions made on planning applications.

'The statement could also specify which bodies and authorities would encourage developers to consult in advance of submitting applications for significant development. Developers will not face any sanctions if they do not comply, as local planning authorities will still consult them once an application has been made. We will encourage developers to undertake such consultation on the basis that it will improve the quality of planning applications and may smooth the path to planning permission.'

The section on statements of community involvement has all-party support and will proceed unamended. The committee stage will finish on 28th January and will pass from the House of Commons to the Lords in February. We expect that amendments to the Bill will be made in the Lords.

London 'Guinea Pig' for new city centre congestion charges

Motorists will next month be hit by a £5 charge every time they enter central London. London Mayor, Ken Livingstone believes the charge will reduce the level of traffic in the busiest areas of London by up to 15%. Many see this scheme as a test of Mr Livingstone's credibility as mayor. However, more important for the motorist is the knowledge that success in London could spawn a raft of similar initiatives in urban centres throughout the UK.

The charge will take effect from 17th Feburary. Payment will be required from Monday to Friday between 7.00 am and 6.30 pm. The payment periods exclude Bank Holidays. When you approach the charging zone you will see a large 'C' painted on the road. If you drive into the zone (past the cameras) your registration number will be recorded (like a speed camera). You can pay the £5 congestion charge at any time up to midnight on the day of your journey, but between 10pm and midnight there a £5 surcharge in order to discourage late payments.

You will be able to pay for more than one day at a time by, for example, paying for a week, for a month or even for a whole year in one transaction. You can also apply for a fast track card to speed up paying the charge. The card will contain your details and vehicle registration number. You can apply for the card online or download the registration form and return it to Tfl. You will be able to pay by credit or debit card via the website or call centre. You will also be able to pay by cash and cheque, credit and debit cards, at selected newsagents, convenience stores and petrol stations.

If you have driven or parked on public roads in the congestion charging zone during the hours of operation, and are not eligible for an exemption or discount, and have not paid the charge by midnight on the day on which you have been in the charging zone, you will be sent a penalty charge notice. This will ask you to pay £80, which is reduced to £40 if you pay within 14 calendar days from the date on the notice. Failure to pay the penalty charge within 28 calendar days will incur a penalty of £120. Instructions on how to pay the Penalty Charge Notice, as well as details of how to appeal, will be explained on the Penalty Charge Notice itself. If you do not pay the penalty, TfL has the authority to clamp and remove your vehicle(s) or, ultimately, use bailiffs to recover any debts.

Housing – the widening gap

Latest figures show that the building of affordable housing is now at its lowest level since records began in 1949. The number of new private homes was static, matching last year's as the lowest since 1927.

Current indications, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveryors, are that these figures will not be improved this year, as there are insufficient sites available for development. The House Builders Federation puts the disparity at 60,000 homes a year, with 160,000 new homes a year being built, while household growth is running at 220,000.

Green Issues' movers and shakers

Kevin Howlett has joined the Green Issues team as an Account Executive. Kevin is an experienced political campaigner, both at a local and national level. Whilst at university he represented the Conservatives in the local elections of 2000. Kevin graduated from the University of East Anglia with a BA (Hons) in English Literature and went on to read for an MA in International Relations at Reading University.

Green Issues is also delighted to announce the promotion of both Carla Bennett and Sarah King to the positions of Account Managers.

Breakfast Seminars

Green Issues holds a number of breakfast seminars each year, inviting members of the development community to listen to a guest speaker talking about issues regarding development and also to hear more about what we do.

The next breakfast seminar will be held in Oxford, with our guest speaker Rt Hon Andrew Smith MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and MP for Oxford East. The event will be held at The Randolph Hotel on Friday 14th February 2003.

If you would like to attend, or for more information, please contact our Business Development Executive, Lisa Turner on 0118 959 1211 or go here.

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