During the last few years the introduction of Planning Policy Guidance No 3 (PPG3) has significantly changed the requirements and processes involved in obtaining planning consent.

PPG3 was introduced in 2000 and superseded by Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3) in late 2006. The following main objectives of National Planning Guidance are:

• Everyone should be entitled to a decent home
• There should be a greater choice of housing generally
• Housing should not reinforce social distinctions
• The housing needs of everyone in the community should be recognised
• There should be a better use of “brownfield” (or previously developed) sites
• Housing should be well designed and of good quality

Other practical implications of PPS3 are that developments now need to be

1. Built to a higher density than previously – general minimum 30 homes per hectare (12 houses per acre).
2. Have lower car parking provision than in the past.
3. Contain an element of affordable housing.
4. Brownfield land will take precedence in development potential to greenfield land.
5. Other planning gain requirements to which any development may need to contribute include contributions to education costs, contributions to offsite highway works and contributions to the provision of open space.

Recent planning legislation has also brought in a change to the format and method by which regional and local authorities produce plans for the future development of their area or region. The existing system of local plans prepared by each district council under an overall county Structure Plan is being replaced by regional planning guidelines, with district councils required to produce Local Development Frameworks.

The inevitable result of these changes is that there is a high degree of dislocation between the speed with which different local authorities are implementing fresh policies under the new legislation and often a wide degree of differing opinions between planning officers, councillors on planning committees, and local residents living near any potential development site.

To ensure that current changes in the planning system do not defeat the aspirations of a landowner wishing to sell for development – by their sheer complexity, it is important to obtain early impartial advice which will be gladly given by Rosemullion Homes.