Current government proposals

The Government has announced a number of proposals to reform the planning system including:

• A national presumption in favour of sustainable development
• Development of Neighbourhood Plans alongside local development plans
• Local communities to have Right-to-Build powers, so they can deliver small-scale development without the need for a separate planning application
• Streamlining national planning policy through replacement of Planning Policy Statements with the National Planning Policy Framework

Many of these changes are being enabled through clauses in the Localism Bill. London Councils is lobying to ensure that the proposals for planning reform take account of the particular circumstances of London, where both the Mayor and boroughs have responsibilities for planning.