Planning Motion Amendment Success

At July 2021 Full Council we tabled an amendment to a Conservative motion on planning, it passed successfully, read full amended policy below -

This Council notes:

The publication by Government of the White Paper, 'Planning for the Future' on 6 August 2020, which set out proposals on reforms to the planning process for the future.

That the vast majority of planning applications are given the go ahead by local authority planning committees, with permission granted to around 9 out of 10 applications.

That research by the Local Government Association has said that there are existing planning permissions for more than one million homes that have not yet been started.

This Council is concerned that the proposals seek to:

1. Reduce or remove the right of residents to object to applications near them.
2. Grant automatic rights for developers to build on land identified as 'for growth'.
3. Remove section 106 payments for infrastructure and their replacement with a national levy.

This Council Believes:

That existing planning procedures, as currently administered by our own team in Rochdale, allow for local democratic control over future development, and give local people a say in planning proposals that affect them.

That proposals for automatic rights to build in 'growth' areas, and increased permitted development rights, risk unregulated growth and unsustainable communities.

That local communities must be in the driving seat on shaping the future of their communities, and local determination of the planning framework and planning applications play an important part in this process.

That planning works best for local residents when developers and the local community work together to shape local areas and deliver necessary new homes and related infrastructure. It therefore supports the right of communities to be able to engage easily in the planning process by:

1. The full use of digital technology.
2. Participation in the making of neighbourhood plans.
3. Maintaining the rights to object to individual planning applications and where they meet the threshold, their concerns to be heard at the relevant planning committee to ensure we continue with a fair and democratic process.

This Council resolves to:

Write to and lobby both of our Members of Parliament, urging them to oppose these proposals and to circulate their replies to members.

Highlight its concerns over these proposals with the public and local residents.