National Planning Policy Framework: still happy

I have now read the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) line-by-line, comparing it with last year’s draft.

I am impressed, and still happy, as Martin Harper reported in his blog yesterday.

Why am I so happy? Martin mentioned our top three red lines. The Government has listened to us on all three points, and the result is a much more balanced document that we believe will help to deliver the Government’s own objectives in the Natural Environment White Paper.

Here are some extracts that make me really pleased: all things that planners or the planning system have to do, which have been added in the published version:

• ‘Pursuing sustainable development involves seeking positive improvements in the quality of the built, natural and historic environment, as well as in people’s quality of life, including ... moving from a net loss of biodiversity to achieving net gains for nature’
• ‘recognising the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside’
• ‘recognising the wider benefits of ecosystem services’
• ‘contributing to the Government’s commitment to halt the overall decline in biodiversity, including by establishing coherent ecological networks’
• ‘encourage the effective use of land that has been previously-developed (brownfield land), provided that it is not of high environmental value’
• ‘identify and map ... wildlife corridors and stepping stones that connect them’
• ‘where Nature Improvement Areas are identified in Local Plans, consider specifying the types of development that may be appropriate in these areas.’

And here are some good things which were in the draft thanks to our influence, and are still there in the published version:

• ‘... encourage multiple benefits from the use of land in urban and rural areas, recognising that some open land can perform many functions (such as for wildlife, recreation, flood risk
   mitigation, carbon storage, or food production)’
• ‘identify and map ... areas identified by local partnerships for habitat restoration or creation’
• ‘local planning authorities should ... not identify new sites or extensions to existing sites for peat extraction’
• ‘... ensure ... high quality restoration and aftercare of minerals sites takes place, including for agriculture ...
  geodiversity, biodiversity, native woodland, the historic environment and recreation.’

I could go on, but I’d like to end with thanks to a terrific team. Lots of people were involved, but I’d particularly like to thank Brendan for his determined technical advocacy, Alice for leading our campaigning, Annabel’s policy input while dealing with the Localism Bill, Laura for her parliamentary advocacy, Julia for keeping us sane, Penny our legal advisor and Nathalie Lieven QC for her advice on SSSIs.