January 16, 2012
Two months from the passing of the Localism Act, another important milestone has been reached in the implementation of its planning provisions.
Local authorities should now have regard to local finance considerations when dealing with planning applications, so far as material to the application. This consideration sits alongside the provisions of the development plan and other material considerations, and will mean that receipts from the Community Infrastructure Levy and New Homes Bonus can be taken into account when determining planning applications.
This is a change that many commentators feared but, it should allow for a more open consideration of the full benefits of a scheme. Applicants will need to carefully consider how financial considerations are presented, as part of the wider contribution of their development to planning objectives for an area.
For more information on the Localism Act, see NLP's handy guide.
NLP Contact: Nicola Furlonger / Margaret Baddeley 02078374477 / nfurlonger@nlpplanning.com / mbaddeley@nlpplanning.com