The CLA today said a draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is too cautious for the needs of the rural economy.
The Association said while the proposed draft, published by the NPPF Practitioners Advisory Group, is a move in the right direction, it still does not fully support the need for a broader rural economy to enable people to work and live in the countryside.
CLA President William Worsley said: ’This draft planning policy is too cautious and must be expanded to fully support the needs of the rural economy. We need better quality jobs so that people can afford to work and live in rural areas.
’Planning plays a huge role in encouraging sustainable economic development and this means national planning policy must encourage a broader, sustainable rural economy that goes further than just leisure and tourism.’
Mr Worsley added: ’It rather grudgingly takes account of rural housing needs by accepting that some growth for villages is necessary. However, it ignores extensive rural areas with few village settlements, apart from conversions. National planning policy must encourage all rural settlements, no matter how remote, to be sustainable in the long term with sufficient housing of all types.’
The CLA President called the draft framework on heritage ’a big step back’ from Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 5.
He said: ’The draft contains no understanding that heritage needs to be used, updated and viable. Policy needs to be proportionate as currently, even small changes are disproportionately difficult and costly.’
