The LGA welcomes the opportunity to respond to the technical consultation on planning. Our response focuses primarily on changes to neighbourhood planning, extension of permitted development rights, use class changes and planning conditions.
It is disappointing that the majority of proposals contained in the consultation seek to impose additional control from the centre and reduce the ability of local people and businesses to have a say on planning issues that impact on their house, business and high street. Many of the proposals represent further top-down piecemeal changes which lack regard to local circumstances, add further confusion to the system and undermine the premise of a locally plan-led system that government promised to local areas.