DCLG is consulting on a number of proposals to reform the planning system to increase the supply of new homes and increase local authority capacity to manage growth.
Proposals include:
- a standard method for calculating local authorities’ housing need
- how neighbourhood planning groups can have greater certainty on the level of housing need to plan for
- a statement of common ground to improve how local authorities work together to meet housing and other needs across boundaries
- making the use of viability assessments simpler, quicker and more transparent
- increased planning application fees in those areas where local planning authorities are delivering the homes their communities need- what are the most
appropriate criteria to enable this fee increase to be applied. - whether local planning authorities should be required to set out, within their plans, a housing figure for designated neighbourhood planning areas and parished areas within their local area.
This consultation closes at 11:45pm on 9 November 2017