The Chancellor has just sat down. He was expected to say that the NPPF was being issued this week, or according to some reports, today. Instead he announced it would be issued by DCLG next week and that it would include the presumption in favour of sustainable development. And then he said that the policy changes would come into effect when published. I’m pretty sure he said that but given the head of steam which has built up around transitional provisions for the presumption in favour of sustainable development this is remarkable. There was a lot of debate in Parliament about transitional provisions last year so I am going to want to read the text of the chancellor’s speech and – next week – the actual NPPF to check what is actually happening.
But such an approach would be logical, and it might explain why the NPPF will not be issued today, not this week, as DCLG is sent back to amend the final draft.
With some 40% of the South/South West of England either National Park or AONB – http://www.nationalparks.gov.uk/visiting/maps.htm , will the NPPF be of any real benefit to us that live in them and have for years felt completely hamstrung by planners over-restrictive interpretation of planning regulations?