Issue - meetings

This report provides an update on the consultation published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) entitled “National Planning Policy Framework and National Model Design Code: consultation proposals”. The consultation runs until 27 March 2021.

Resolved:

(i)           That the contents of the report and its annexes be noted.

(ii)         That the Council’s response to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) consultation referred to in the report, with reference to input from the Full Council debate on planning on 22 March 2021, be delegated to the Assistant Director for Planning and Public Protection.

Reason: To enable the MHCLG to receive the council’s overall response to the consultation.

The Executive Member considered a report which provided an update on the consultation published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on 30 January 2021 entitled “National Planning Policy Framework and National Model Design Code: consultation proposals”. It was noted that the consultation ran until the 27 March 2021.

The Head of Development Services, the Design and Sustainability Manager and the Development Manager were in attendance to present the report and respond to questions.

Key points arising from the consideration of this item included:

• An expression of the Council’s opposition to some of the changes to the NPPF, namely the changes to Article 4 and more permitted development rights, as well as concern over the green belt and where development can occur, however on the whole the changes were supported.
• Officers explained that the Government’s two imperatives when it came to the NMDC were to make the planning system less complex and uncertain and increase the quality of new developments.
• That the National Design Guide, published by the government contained 10 themes which were to help local government in creating their own design code, however officers emphasised the flexibility in the National Design Guide, which left the choice and implementation of themes to local authorities.
• That early next year would be a good time to conduct a review on the design codes based on the National Design Guide created by other local authorities.

The Executive Member thanked officers for their report and expressed the need for architectural planning to be of quality, sustainable designs and also distinctly adapted to York, in relation to the Government’s intentions to standardise language of planning and development throughout the country.

Resolved:

(i)                  That the contents of the report and its annexes be noted.

(ii)                That the Council’s response to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) consultation referred to in the report, with reference to input to the Full Council debate on planning on 22 March 2021, be delegated to the Assistant Director for Planning and Public Protection.

Reason: To enable to MHCLG to receive the council’s overall response to the consultation.