Government planning reforms 'a step in the right direction' for Mid Sussex

Measures proposed by Michael Gove aim to put communities ‘at the heart of the planning system’ and make housing targets advisory instead of mandatory.

For years, planning authorities up and down the country have warned the powers-that-be that they simply could not fulfil their housing targets.

Mid Sussex, for example has to build a minimum of 8,169 homes by 2039.

The council wrote to the government earlier this year, appealing for changes to the planning system.

Conservative council leader Jonathan Ash-Edwards said: “It’s great news that the government is working to rebalance the planning system and the reforms announced are a significant step in the right direction.

“In particular, instructing the Planning Inspectorate not to override sensible local decision making is very welcome.”

As well as housing targets, Mr Gove’s measures include ending the need for councils to have a five-year supply of housing land – as long as their Local Plans are up-to-date.

Those whose Local Plans are at ‘an advanced stage of preparation’ will only have to have a four-year supply and will have two years to review and revise their Plans against the government’s proposed changes.

Mr Ash-Edwards said: “I know that communities will have questions about the impact of the reforms on the current consultation on the District Plan Review.

“We will need to wait for the precise detail of the Government’s consultation, but we will ensure the Plan evolves to take the reforms into account.”

Alison Bennett leader of the Liberal Democrats said the idea that housing targets would become advisory sounded like common sense.

She added: “At this stage we don’t know the specifics of how this new approach will work, and the devil is always in the detail.

“My hope is that this will enable us to have sensible conversations about what the real housing need is in Mid Sussex.

“However, the government has been forced into this U-turn because it was facing a large rebellion from its own MPs.

“I sincerely hope that the details of the new approach will have been properly thought through, rather than some knee-jerk reaction borne out of weakness.”