Communities With Neighbourhood Plans Can Block Development

Communities with a Neighbourhood Plan will be able to block housing developments even if their local council does not have an up-to-date five-year housing land supply, the housing minister has announced. In a written statement this week, Gavin Barwell said communities with a Neighbourhood Plan are “often frustrated” that their plan is “undermined” when a local council does not have an up-to-date five-year housing land supply. Under current planning rules permission should be granted for housing developments, even if they conflict with a council’s Local Plan, if the council does not have an up-to-date five-year housing land supply. Permission should only be rejected if the negatives of a development significantly outweigh the positives. Read the full statement on the Parliament website.