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MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

PLANNING COMMITTEE

1 SEPTEMBER 2011

REPORT OF HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT

Report prepared by Rob Jarman

1.           Draft National Planning Policy Framework and Draft National Planning Policy Framework Consultation

1.1        Issue for Decision

1.1.1   To consider whether or not Planning Committee wish to express comments on the above document and, if so, in what format.

1.2        Recommendation 

1.2.1 That Planning Committee do make written comments and that these are expressed to the Leader of the Council.

1.3        Reasons for Recommendation

1.3.1   The proposed National Planning Policy Framework seeks to replace and at the same time, streamline existing Planning Policy Statements (PPSs), Planning Policy Guidance Notes (PPGs) and some Circulars to form a single consolidated document.

1.3.2   The proposed Framework sets out the Government’s key economic social and environmental objectives and the planning policies that will be used to deliver them. It deals with plan-making and development management.

1.3.3   The Framework will have the same legal status as current Government Policy documents. There will be a requirement that local and neighbourhood plans are prepared having regard to the content of national planning policy. Where there are circumstances where it is right for a community to depart from national policy, these circumstances would need to be justified by robust evidence.

1.3.4   The deadline for responses to the consultation is Monday 17 October 2011.

1.3.5   Planning Committee is not a policy-making committee and it is important that Maidstone Borough Council make comments as a single corporate entity.

1.3.6   Given the time factor, I would ask Members to respond prior to the meeting to the specific consultation questions. These are attached at Appendix One.

1.3.7   I will then collate the questions and produce an Urgent Update Report for the meeting which can then be discussed at the Committee meeting and each response agreed, together with my suggested responses.

1.3.8   The Committee’s response and my observations will then, on the advice of the Head of Legal Services be forwarded to the Leader of the Council to consider in his response.

1.4        Alternative Action and why not Recommended

1.4.1   If no response was made the Council would lose the opportunity to make its views known to the Government regarding this significant and important change in approach to Government policy. 

1.5        Impact on Corporate Objectives

1.5.1 The National Planning Policy Framework will be a significant document that will guide future spatial planning in the Borough and also development management decisions.

1.6        Risk Management

1.6.1   Risks are addressed within the report

1.7        Other Implications

1.7.1    

1.8        Relevant Documents

1.8.1   Appendices

ONE: Consultation Questions

1.8.2   Background Documents

Draft National Planning Policy Framework

Draft national Planning Policy Framework: Consultation

IS THIS A KEY DECISION REPORT? X       Yes                                               No     If yes, when did it first appear in the Forward Plan?   ..     This is a Key Decision because: ..   .       Wards/Parishes affected: ..   ..