Nuneaton’s MP Marcus Jones has welcomed the publication of planning guidance which has been shared with local authorities throughout the country. The guidance is related to Councils who are currently drawing up a Local Plan, which shapes where development should and shouldn’t go.

Marcus has been an outspoken critic of the delays in implementing a Local Plan in Nuneaton, which he has put down to ‘political dithering’.

The guidance, issued by the Department for Communities and Local Government, includes measures that make it crystal clear that Councils need to consider strict tests set out in national policy, and where these are not met, new developments should not be permitted on flood risk sites. This should come as welcome reassurance to local people concerned about flooding, particularly those who live near Weddington Fields.

Other measures in the guidance issued include:

•           Re-affirming the importance of Green Belt protection and ensuring its robust safeguards are not undermined when assessing unmet housing need.

• Stressing the importance of bringing brownfield land into use.

• Making clear that Local Plans can pass the test of soundness where authorities have not been able to identify land for growth in years 11-15 of their Local Plan, which often can be the most challenging part for a local authority.

• Explaining how student housing, housing for older people and the re-use of empty homes can be included when assessing housing need.

• Ensuring that infrastructure is provided to support new development, and noting how infrastructure constraints should be considered when assessing suitability of sites.

• Noting that councils should also be able to consider the delivery record (or lack of) of developers or landowners, including a history of unimplemented permissions. This will also serve to encourage developers to deliver on their planning permissions.

• Incorporating the guidance on wind / renewable energy (including heritage and amenity) published during last summer and also making it clearer in relation to solar farms, that visual impact is a particular factor for consideration.

• Allowing past over-supply of housing to be taken into account when assessing housing needs.

• On the five year supply of sites, confirming that assessments are not automatically outdated by new household projections.

• Clarifying when councils can consider refusing permission on the grounds of prematurity in relation to draft plans.

• Encouraging joint working between local authorities, but clarifying that the duty to co-operate is not a duty to accept. We have rejected the Labour Party proposals to allow councils to undermine Green Belt protection and dump development on their neighbours’ doorstep.

Commenting, Marcus said: “The new guidance issued by central government is comprehensive and should be helpful to local authorities when implementing their respective Local Plans. Unfortunately, here in Nuneaton, local people are being let down by a Council that is dithering and is desperately trying to avoid setting a Local Plan ahead of the local elections.

“The guidance about flood risk sites is very clear and this should provide reassurance to local people who are concerned about the increased risk of flooding. It is absolutely imperative that both Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, and North Warwickshire Borough Council, which covers Hartshill, get on with implementing a Local Plan to ensure that appropriate development takes place with appropriate infrastructure in place, rather than allowing the current situation to go on, which is planning by default and is causing a great deal of frustration for local people.”