The Localism Bill 2010-11 was published on 14 December 2010.
The Bill as amended in the Commons as it went forward to the House of Lords.
Localism Bill: Planning - This House of Commons Library note highlights some important issues in the planning part of the Localism Bill as it completed its Commons stages and went to the House of Lords.
The Report Stage in the House of Lords is expected to conclude on 17 October 2011

• RTPI responses to the Localism Bill. 
• RTPI member? Get involved in the Bill.

SEPTEMBER

23 Sept: The Government Response to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee's Report on Localism published.

15 Sept: Planning Portal reports that England's biggest cities will be able to make a case for new powers to promote economic growth under new clauses to the Localism Bill with cross-party support, currently under scrutiny in the Lords.

5 Sept: Report Stage commenced in the House of Lords

July

29 July: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said that 492 bids, asking for £3.3 billion, will compete for a share of £950 million from the second round of the £1.4 billion Regional Growth Fund. The bids will be assessed by an independent panel.

29 July: A DCLG spokesman confirmed that a later consultation will look at changing Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) rules to "allow receipts to be spent on affordable housing and plans to allow a proportion of CIL receipts to be passed to parish or community councils".

29 July: Minister Greg Clark  has advised local Councils of the new 'Planning Guarantee' that will 'create greater certainty for local communities by speeding up applications that get stuck in the system'. The RTPI said that the ‘guarantee' will affect just 0.7 per cent of applications.

29 July: Planning magazine has reported that the Government's timetable for deciding whether to grant local authorities the freedom to set their own planning application fees has slipped back by three months.

28 July: The Environmental Audit Committee has launched an inquiry into sustainable development in the draft NPPF. The EAC would welcome written submissions on the way sustainable development is dealt with in the NPPF by 9 September 2011.

27 July: The Communities and Local Government Committee will undertake an inquiry into the National Planning Policy Framework, and has called for written evidence on particular issues by 9 September 2011. Oral evidence sessions will be held in October.

26 July: CLG issues a statement rebutting criticism of the draft NPPF by the National Trust as "plain wrong" and this was followed by  a letter from Minister Bob Neill in The Guardian and a letter to The Telegraph from the British Property Federation and the British Chambers of Commerce.

25 July: Draft NPPF published and its impact assessment with Minister Greg Clark saying: "We need a simpler, swifter system that is easier to understand and where you don't need to pay for a lawyer to navigate your way around." A short summary has also been published. A 12 week consultation with meetings around England announced. The RTPI has issued a press release.

21 July: The draft NPPF was not published on 18 July as widely reported. CLG now say it will stick to its structural reform plan to publish before the end of this month.

19 July: In addition to his role as Decentralisation Minister, Greg Clark has been appointed Minister for Cities.

18 July: The House of Commons debated and approved the six energy National Policy Statements.

15 July: A consultation on Local Planning Regulations has been published. The Government is revising the regulations which govern the process by which local councils prepare their development plans. The consultation period runs until 7 October.

14 July: The outcome of the invitation for bids to the Affordable Homes Programme 2011-15 have been announced. The programme includes around 80,000 homes for affordable rent or affordable home ownership, supported by  £1.8 billion of funding from the Government.

14 July: Speaking during a Lords debate, government spokesman Earl Attlee said that the Government would launch a consultation this summer that could see the permitted uses of the community infrastructure levy widened.

11 July: The BIS Select Committee report on Rebalancing the Economy: Trade and Investment says the Government had provided scant detail on the role that LEPs will play in supporting inward investment following the abolition of the RDAs. "Without clarity on the role, extent and cost of this activity, the involvement of LEPs will be seriously undermined."

11 July: Prime Minister, David Cameron has launched the Open Public Services White Paper. The Government will consult about how to go further in opening up "locally commissioned" services in planning, but exact details of what these services include are unclear.

6 July: BIS has announced the transfer of land and property assets owned by RDAs to HCA. Local communities will be involved in decisions about future development plans in their areas. The transfer is due to take place in September.

4 July: Speaking at the final oral evidence session of the inquiry into regeneration, Grant Shapps said that the Government is currently working on a new fund for community regeneration.

4 July: Twenty nine bids have been received for the second round of Enterprise Zones. Ten new zones will be selected.

1 July: Planning magazine has reported that a leaked draft of the NPPF suggests local authorities with plans already in place could be asked to prove how those documents conform with the forthcoming NPPF. It also contains details of how the Government's controversial "cash for permissions" amendment to the Localism Bill will be implemented in practice.

1 July: DCLG has responded to an article in The Times newspaper about the forthcoming National Planning Policy Statement.

June

30 June: Design Council CABE have launched two small grant schemes. Neighbourhood Projects Small Grants Programme, will award not-for-profit organisations to help them improve the design quality of neighbourhood-led projects.  Design Review Small Grants Programme, will award to existing local design review panels to help them engage the community in the design process.The deadline for applications in 1 August 2011.

29 June: A new steering group, established jointly by the Home Builders Federation and the Local Government Group will look at reducing the complexity of home building standards and the impact regulations have on the industry. This will support the new National Planning Policy Framework.

29 June: A further 20 local authorities have joined the Community Infrastructure Front Runners project. Each Front Runner will have access to a tailored package of support from PAS to help them set a charge for their area.

25 June: Planning Minister, Greg Clark said the Government could remove planning restrictions for temporary change of use in order to encourage 'meanwhile uses' of empty buildings, as part of a future wider review on deregulating the used class orders system.

25 June: "How change of use is handled in the planning system - tell us what you think: Issues paper" has been published. It is the first stage a review that looks at the scope for further liberalisation and how we might remove the barriers to change of use to help facilitate growth. Comments are required by 1 September 2011.

23 June: The Government has responded to the Communities and Local Government Committee's report: Abolition of Regional Spatial Strategies, saying "the debate has helped inform the amendments made to the Localism Bill at the Commons Report stage to strengthen the duty to cooperate and my Department will continue to take the findings into account as policy is developed".

22 June: Coomunity Development Foundation has been appointed to deliver the £80 million Government funded Community First programme.

21 June: An amendment to enshrine a definition of sustainable development within the Localism Bill would create a 'lawyers' paradise', Communities Minister Baroness Hanham has said.

20 June: The Government has tabled amendments to the Localism Bill that would scrap plans to create shadow mayors in the 12 largest cities outside London.

17 June: Two Liberal Democrat peers have tabled a new clause to the Localism Bill intended to make sustainable development the objective of the proposed general power of competence for councils.

15 June: The Government has published its draft presumption in favour of sustainable development. The draft wording has been published now to give an early indication of the Government's intentions, but this is not a formal consultation.

15 June: 'A Plain English Guide to the Localism Bill' has been updated. It is designed to give an overview and replaces the version published in January 2011.

14 June: Speaking at the RTPI Planning Convention, Decentralisation and Planning Minister, Greg Clark said that, "the RTPI's input on the duty to cooperate has been very effective".

14 June: IPC chairman Sir Michel Pitt told the RTPI Planning Convention, that promoters of major infrastructure projects must get the best technical and legal advice available in order to avoid hold-ups. Developers who fail to do so will struggle to progress their schemes.

9 June: The Communities and Local Government Select Committee's Third Report on Localism is highly critical of the localism agenda and calls on the Government to bring more coherence to the localism programme across Whitehall departments.

9 June: The Government has launched the next phase of the Growth Review, which focuses on infrastructure, the rural economy and skills. A report on the Governments findings will be published in October.

9 June: Circular 06/04: Compulsory Purchase and the Crichel Down Rules has been amended and a new appendix inserted which relating specifically to requests from voluntary and community organisations, and other third parties.

9 June: Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing has been reissued. An amendment to the definitions of affordable housing in Annex B which are now more flexible about low-cost market (i.e. discounted) housing is the reason for the reissue.

8 June: Housing Minister, Grant Shapps has announced plans to release enough Government owned land to build upto 100,000 new homes. Ministers are also encouraging councils to make their unused land available for development.

7 June: Baroness Hanham, leading for the Government in the Bill's first House of Lords debate, will make clear that she intends to take account of all views during the debate, and to develop the same consensus reached in the Commons wherever possible.

7 June: The natural environment white paper, "The Natural Choice - Securing the Value of Nature" has been published. It includes proposals to give communities new powers to designate protected green areas as part of local neighbourhood plans.

6 June: Under new rules in the Localism Bill local communities are to be given new powers to improve the public spaces in their area. This is in response to common complaints that local areas have been blighted by a unsightly mess of shop signs, billboards and railings.

2 June: The RTPI has published a number of briefings to inform debate in advance of the Second Reading of the Localism Bill at the House of Lords.

2 June: Another 40 communities are to become Neighbourhood Planning Front Runners. Led by local authorities they will prepare planning documents in close collaboration with community groups and parish councils. Applications are invited for a further round of vanguards by 8 July 2011.

2 June: Housing Minister, Grant Shapps has extended the Community Right to Build to all parts of the country, including urban areas. The leaflet, 'The Community Right to Build: An Opportunity in the Making', has been reissued.

May

31 May: The Second Reading of the Bill has been confirmed as 7 June. A list of expected speakers, updated regularly, can be found on the Lords Government Whips Office website.

27 May: The application form and guidance for the next wave of 10 Enterprise Zones has been published. Applications are due by 30 June 2011.

27 May: The Court of Appeal have ruled in favour of the Government on the appeal by CALA Homes relating to the abolition of Regional Spatial Strategies. The judgment means that the proposed abolition of the strategies can be regarded as a 'material consideration' by local planning authorities and inspectors when deciding planning applications and appeals.

24 May: A new empty homes online toolkit has been launched to help local councils and communities better identify the empty homes in their area and bring them back into use.

23 May: It is expected that the Second Reading of the Localism Bill in the Lords will begin on 7June; with Committee Stage starting around 20 June. However, planning matters may not be reached until July, and Summer Recess takes place between 20 July and 5 September.

23 May: Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) could take control of assets owned by the soon to be abolished regional development agencies (RDAs) under the terms of a deal being finalised by ministers.

20 May: The Practitioners Advisory Group has published a first draft of the National Planning Policy Framework. The RTPI has responded, saying it misses that planning must be spatial to be effective.

20 May: CLG have written to local authorities bringing them up to date on changes that have occurred to the Government's approach on design and planning.

18 May: The Localism Bill last night passed its Report Stage (two days of considering amendments), which was immediately followed by a short Third Reading of the Bill, also passed. The amended Bill now goes into the House of Lords.

17 May: Localism Bill: Report stages - the strengthened duty to cooperate (Clause 90) which the RTPI have done so much to improve went through on a vote. Following heated exchanges, the new Clause 15 (Applications for planning permission: local finance considerations) has also been added to the Bill on a vote.

17 May: A cross-party group of 19 MPs has tabled an amendment to the Localism Bill that would introduce third party right of appeal.

17 May: Eight frontrunners to pilot business-led neighbourhood plans have been announced.

16 May: The RTPI have issued a news release indicating the RTPI’s view that further changes are needed to improve the Bill.

13 May: The Government has announced that it intends to complete its review of planning rules to make it easier to convert empty office space to residential use by December.

13 May: The RTPI has published a briefing for MPs on the Localism Bill House of Commons Report Stage.

12 May: Small business Minister, Mark Prisk has unveiled a £5 million Start-Up Fund for LEPs. It is a one-off pot of money to fund costs, such as office equipment and training. 

12 May: The RTPI have issued a press release saying the last minute attempt to allow cash for planning permissions is wrong.

12 May: A document explaining how the Community Infrastructure Levy Relief Regulations will work has been published.

12 May: A second phase of the Community Infrastructure Levy - Front Runners' Project has been launched. Each front-runner will have access to a tailored package of support from PAS. The deadline for applications is 3 June 2011

10 May: The Government have published the list of amendments to the Localism Bill. They include the inclusion of an amendment to Section 70 of the Town and Country Planning Act (determination of applications for planning permission: general considerations) that makes "any local finance considerations" material to an application. The RTPI responded.

10 May: Grant Shapps has made a speech to the Home Builders Federation at their Annual Lunch, covering the Hew Homes Bonus, economic growth, sustainable development and zero carbon.

9 May: CLG have published an updated version of Community Infrastructure Levy: An overview.

9 May: The oral evidence sessions of the CLG's select committee's inquiry into regeneration will be held on 9 and 23 May. RTPI President, Richard Summers will be amongst those giving evidence.

9 May: Judgment has been reserved in housebuilder CALA Homes' Appeal Court challenge against the Government's claim that its intention to abolish regional housing targets should be considered when deciding on planning applications.

3 May: It has been announced that the Report Stage of the Localism Bill will take place on 17 May 17, with the Third Reading on 18 May.

3 May: Speaking at Grand Designs Live 2011, Housing Minister, Grant Shapps said he wanted self build to become a mainstream housing option, and that Government would make available publicly owned land for people to build their own homes.

Government announcements from May 2010 - April 2011.

Author:

Sarah Lewis

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

23-Sep-11

Categories:

Policy, Practice, RTPI Publications 

Sections:

News & Media

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