CPRE responds to Local Plan Reforms Consultation

CPRE (the Countryside Charity), in a joint response with individual CPRE local charities, addresses the government’s Local Plan Reforms Consultation.

Their response highlights the need for a robust and transparent planning system. They express support for Local Plans but raise concerns about the role of National Development Management Policies (NDMPs) and their impact on local decision-making. CPRE underlines the skills gap in local planning departments and calls for funding to prioritize high-quality design. They stress the importance of not prioritizing NDMPs over Local Plans and advocate for a more supportive approach to Plan adoption.

The organisation supports digital planning while retaining traditional methods and emphasizes retaining justified Plan requirements and rigorous monitoring and evaluation. CPRE recommends keeping Minerals and Waste Plans separate. They also support efforts to enable Councils to capture land value uplift for social rented homes and advocate for longer transition stages for areas with new boundaries.