Here come the (planning) consultations....

DCLG is currently consulting on the details of two of the main planks of the new Neighbourhood Planning Bill. 

• Improving the use of planning conditions: this consultation is focused on proposals to limit the use of inappropriate planning conditions - with pre-commencement conditions being in the main line of fire. The consultation closes at midday on 2 November 2016.
• Technical consultation on implementation of neighbourhood planning provisions in the Neighbourhood Planning Bill:  is a consultation on the content of the detailed secondary legislation that is likely to be necessary to implement the government's proposals for streamlining and strengthening the neighbourhood planning system. It closes on 19 October 2016.

The outcome of the consultation on Compulsory Purchase, which took place in the Spring, has also been published and can be found here: Further reform of the compulsory purchase system.

A consultation on measures in the Neighbourhood Planning Bill to address the inappropriate use of pre-commencement planning conditions, and to prohibit the use of other types of planning conditions which do not meet the tests in the National Planning Policy Framework.

Unnecessary and unreasonable planning conditions can prevent development from starting until the local planning authority has approved certain details. To help address the urgent need to tackle the inappropriate use of ‘pre-commencement’ conditions, government is introducing a power in the Neighbourhood Planning Bill to ensure that these conditions can only be used with the agreement of the applicant.

The measure will not change the way conditions can be used to maintain existing protections for important matters such as heritage, the natural environment, green spaces, and the mitigation of flooding.”