Madam, Re: National Planning Policy Framework

I share your concern (Ross Gazette, October 26th) that the new planning policy framework appears to remove much of the current protection for open country side. I also think you are right to worry that local representatives will have less opportunity to influence planning outcomes. The key phrase in the draft framework document issued by Greg Clark in July 2011 is in paragraph 19 which states: "Decision-takers at every level should assume that the default answer to development proposals is "yes", except where this would compromise the key sustainable development principles set out in this Framework".

However, as the framework contains no details of these sustainable development principles it may well be that planning committees will be required to decide if a development is 'sustainable'. There should be plenty of scope for debate as the only clue to 'sustainable development' appears in paragraph 9 of the framework: "Sustainable development means development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

The framework requires local authorities to have a plan for land use going out 15 years showing which areas can be developed and for what. The plan must provide enough land to support known housing needs (+20%) for a rolling five year period. Local representatives therefore have a very important role to play in producing such a local plan particularly as paragraph 26 of the planning framework states: "In the absence of an up-to-date and consistent plan, planning applications should be determined in accord with this Framework, including its presumption in favour of sustainable development."

This paragraph will no doubt have been noted by developers as it provides them with carte blanche if the local plan is deficient. The new planning framework also stipulates that this local plan is subject to consultation with all interested parties. This will take some time so the sooner Herefordshire Council starts on this planning process the better.

Finally, if anyone is in any doubt about the true intention of the new planning framework, paragraph 39 is instructive: "To enable a plan to be deliverable, the sites and the scale of development identified in the plan should not be subject to such a scale of obligations and policy burdens that their ability to be developed viably is threatened. To ensure viability, the costs of any requirements likely to be applied to development, such as requirements for affordable housing, local standards, infrastructure contributions or other requirements should, when taking account of the normal cost of development and on-site mitigation, provide acceptable returns to a willing land owner and willing developer to enable the development to be deliverable."

So although the framework emphasises 'sustainability' at every opportunity it is clear that profit comes above sustainability. Hopefully Herefordshire Council are aware of the threat and are working on producing a timely and comprehensive local plan.

Steve Davis