Lewes and Wealden councillors criticise Conservative government announcement on planning changes

On Monday (July 24), housing secretary Michael Gove announced a package of potential reforms to planning rules, intended to “unleash building on underused sites in high-demand regions.”

Part of this announcement included proposals to ‘simplify’ the process of developing new local plans, something Mr Gove’s department says is intended to reduce the “cost and bureaucracy” associated with getting an updated plan in place.

The proposals have come in for criticism from local councillors, however.

Cllr Laurence O’Connor, cabinet member for planning at Lewes District Council, said: “This statement is months, years too late. It’s way overdue and has left many councils like Lewes District in an impossible position.

“What the prime minister and Michael Gove have not said today, is that they will be instructing their Planning Inspectors to refuse appeals from developers who want to build on greenfield sites all over the green and pleasant fields of Lewes District.

“So, Mr Gove, I’m sorry I do not believe your platitudes and headline grabbing statements. We want the details, we want the change in the rules and regulations.”

Meanwhile Green Party councillor and Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Lewes Emily O’Brien added: “Michael Gove could have taken this opportunity to announce the actual changes to the planning rules which councils up and down the country are desperately waiting on. Without those rule changes, this is all just fake news.”

Cllr Ian Tysh, the Greens’ planning portfolio holder at Wealden District Council also took issue with the announcement. He said: “Wealden people will ask: does the government announcement mean fewer new homes in Wealden; will it fix our creaking infrastructure; will we get more local control of development? The answers are: probably not; no; not much.

“If the plans to build more homes in London work out, that may lead to fewer people moving to Wealden and reduce demand. But the government’s housing target formula is not based on actual demand.

“The announcement says little about infrastructure outside cities, except that greenfield developments will have to contribute more towards the cost of new (not existing) infrastructure. It says we will have a say in how and where homes are built, but not how many.

“We would have that now, if only we had a local plan, which is why putting one in place is such a high priority for the Alliance. To do that we need certainty. This announcement just adds to the uncertainty created by Mr Gove’s last attempt at headline grabbing.”

Both Lewes and Wealden District Council are currently without up-to-date local plans. Last month, Lewes MP Maria Caulfield announced that she had asked Mr Gove to consider placing the local authorities into special measures to speed up the process — something which came in for criticism from both councils.

The potential reforms announced by Mr Gove also include proposals to make it easier to convert department stores, spaces above shops and office space into housing. This would be done by introducing new ‘permitted development rights’, a mechanism which allows development to take place without planning permission.

Mr Gove also announced plans to ease rules on extending existing commercial properties and repurposing agricultural buildings.