Northumberland communities urged to develop neighbourhood plans amid plans to bypass planning committees

Town and parish councils in Northumberland have been urged to develop local planning policies after the Government announced plans to fast-track new housing applications.

A major overhaul of planning committees was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner on Monday. The plans, designed to modernise the planning system, would see applications that comply with local development plans bypass council planning committees entirely.

Neighbourhood plans are produced by local councils to guide the use of land and development in their area. Once passed, they must be used by the planning authority to help make decisions in that area.

Currently, 24 of Northumberland's 166 parishes have a neighbourhood plan in place while a further 28 are currently in development. The Conservative administration's cabinet member for communities, Coun Gordon Stewart, said all parishes should create a plan 'urgently'.

The plea comes amid concern over the Government's controversial proposed housing targets, which would see Northumberland's target increase by 222% to 1,768 new houses annually.

Coun Stewart said: "Northumberland County Council has a strong local plan but I find it hard to understand why any large town or parish council has not created a Neighbourhood Plan. Please act now to help protect your area.

"Neighbourhood plans give local communities the chance to draw up their own plans and proposals for shaping the future of their areas. The proposals would need to comply with national and local strategic policies.

"Communities can also address issues related to land use and development through the neighbourhood plan. There has never been a more important time to do this, with the Labour Government having Northumberland in its sights by increasing housing targets by 222%.

"The Deputy PM has given a glimpse at her intended reforms which will frighten many communities. We need additional good quality housing of the right type in the right locations, with local facilities to cope with the increase."

Speaking at Tuesday's meeting of the council's cabinet, Tory deputy leader Coun Richard Wearmouth said the council would oppose any efforts to remove local councillors from the decision-making process.

He said: "Angela Rayner should not be making comments about stopping local representatives making decisions on major applications. It is absolutely appalling and not something we would welcome here."

Despite the fact Northumberland's housing target is currently 549 homes a year, the council have built an average of 1,552 homes a year since the Conservatives became the largest party on the council in 2017. The new proposed target would represent a 14% increase on this average.

The Government say the changes to planning policy are part of efforts to tackle the country's housing crisis. In July, there were 14,000 people on the Northumberland County Council's homefinder register, with around 6,000 assessed as being in some level of housing need.

Introducing the changes, Ms Rayner said: “Building more homes and infrastructure across the country means unblocking the clogged-up planning system that serves as a chokehold on growth. The government will deliver a sweeping overhaul of the creaking local planning committee system.

“Streamlining the approvals process by modernising local planning committees means tackling the chronic uncertainty and damaging delays that acts as a drag anchor on building the homes people desperately need. Grasping the nettle of planning committee reform and fast-tracking decision-making is a vital part of our Plan for Change.”

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