Planning - Trust Annual Report 1976
It is now learned that changes are proposed in the regulations for planning. The inevitable has happened. The regulations are now so extensive and detailed, that planning authorities are having to devote much time to their scrutiny. The result is that the larger issues of planning may not be receiving the attention they deserve.
As the Department says, the majority of applications relate to matters whose impact on land use and the environment is trivial. It is the Minister's view that it would be timely to reassess priorities , and identify areas where control is no longer justified, or where clarification of the application of the scope of the control, would save time and money for all concerned. Efficient control of the proposals that really matter, would then be more successfully achieved.
Some of the changes envisaged are as follows. Extensions to. dwelling houses and industrial premises not requiring planning permission, should be increased from one tenth to one fifth. Another proposal is to allow alterations to shop fronts to be regarded as "permitted development with appropriate limitations." Both of these changes might have far reaching result which would not be desirable in an historic town, and one shudders to think how the High Street might look if controls were relaxed.
It could also be observed that it is the sum of the small planning decisions which contribute to the whole aspect of the town. Relaxation now could undo much of what has been patiently achieved since the war.
At the same time Ministers propose that consideration be given to the possibility of local plans giving specific indications of land use for which Planning permission would be forthcoming, and in the case of housing land, an indication of permitted density. Consideration should, also be given to the concept of making local special development orders to grant planning permission for further specified types of development. On the face of it there appears to be considerable advantages in these proposals which would assist I attracting better plans. We are all in favour of the issues of planning guidelines to help developers put forward better schemes.