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This week more than a billion people globally will welcome the Year of the Rabbit – or the Year of Cat (depending on where you live). Many of us in England had hoped Gove’s Written Ministerial Statement at the tail end of 2023 would be more “pulling the rabbit from the hat” and give an already failing planning system a much-needed Christmas present. Conversely the result has been more "putting the cat amongst the pigeons”... DHA’s Alex Hicken and Jonathan Buckwell provide a quick rundown of events over the past six weeks...

 

Since the 6th of December 2022 we’ve seen 19 Councils across the UK either delay work or totally withdraw their local plans, a worrying trend. Many have specifically cited uncertainty about national policy as a primary reason for these decisions. Unsurprisingly a number of these are in the South-East too and include:

 

  • Councillors at Mole Valley voted to ask the Planning Inspector if they can continue with their Local Plan, but in a drastic U-turn, with all Green Belt site allocations removed;
  • The acting Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning of Horsham has decided to delay Horsham’s Local Plan until “later this year”,
  • Gravesham have stated their plan is expected to be adopted three years later than planned, citing the pandemic and more time to complete transport modelling;
  • Councillors on the Isle of Wight, voted through a motion that delayed the local plan submission by four months to give it more time to consider the potential changes;
  • Epsom & Ewell are currently proposing at a special committee on 30th January for a preferred Reg 18 plan that provides for only 50% of the objectively local assessed housing need; and
  • Members of Tandridge Planning Policy Committee voted to shorten their local plan period to 5 years.

The past six weeks has also seen PINS report back on the Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone Local Plans, with the Inspectors asking fundamental questions about the delivery of proposed new Garden Villages at Tudeley and Heathlands.

 

In the case of Tudeley the Inspector has gone as far to suggest it is removed in its entirety, whereas in the case of Heathlands, a new railway station would need to be delivered in its first phase, something currently not on the table or supported by Network Rail.

Continue reading about Rabbit or Cat? Fallout from Gove’s WMS on Local PlansRead less

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