New Planning Policy Bans Travellers from Green Belt

Travellers are to be banned from living on Green Belt land under new plans published by Local Government Minister Bob Neill as part of new traveller site guidance.  The new policy – separate from the National Planning Policy Framework - puts the provision of sites back into the hands of local councils, in consultation with local communities.  The Government says it has launched the policy to protect the countryside, stating that Traveller sites are "an inappropriate development on Green Belt land".  Mr Neill said the new planning policy would help ensure fair treatment of travellers while “respecting the interest of the settled community”.  Read more on the CLG website.

Clark Admits UK Suffering 'Housing and Growth Crisis'

A Government minister has admitted Britain was suffering a "growth crisis" as he fended off accusations Conservatives cannot be trusted with Britain's countryside. Decentralisation minister Greg Clark claimed a revamp of planning laws was needed to spark economic growth and build more homes. He told MPs: "We have a crisis of housing and growth in this country that needs to be addressed by reforming the planning system in order to provide those things." Mr Clark was speaking at Commons questions as he defended the Government's proposals to make it easier for house builders to develop land "sustainably" - creating more homes and boosting economic recovery. Last month junior local government minister Bob Neill's claimed opposition to revamp formed "a left-wing smear campaign", led by the National Trust. Urging the Government to apologise for Mr Neill's remarks, Labour's Tristram Hunt, (Stone-on-Trent Central) said today: "Isn't this just further proof that you can't trust the Conservatives with the British countryside?" Read more on 24dash.

MPs Urge Change to Localism Bill

Members of a parliamentary committee have urged the Government to modify the Localism Bill to include a new obligation on local planning authorities to work on an agreed approach to larger-than-local planning across neighbouring authorities. MPs on the Commons Communities and Local Government Committee recommended this should be specified in national policy. They also called on ministers to amend the legislation to spell out what actions local authorities should take in respect of their new duty to cooperate. These recommendations were highlighted in a report which said the intended abolition of regional strategies had left a vacuum which risked having profound social, economic and environmental consequences. Planning Minister Bob Neill said: “Under the Coalition Government’s reforms, councils now have a clear financial incentive to build from the New Homes Bonus.” Download a copy of the report from the Parliament website.