Decentralization minister Greg Clark has promised to “clarify the expression of policy on brownfield land” in response to the highly critical select committee report which recommended that current policy be retained.
In an initial response to the Commons Communities and Local Government Committee report, he cherry-picked sections giving some support to the Government’s proposals but made no commitment to support its more trenchant criticisms.
He seized on the Committee’s acceptance of “simplifying” planning guidance and its agreement there should be some kind of presumption in favour of sustainable development.
“I invited the Committee to make specific suggestions to the Draft Framework and am grateful for the practical and measured way they have approached the exercise,” he said.
“The Government will consider carefully each of the suggestions that have been made, along with all responses to the consultation.”
He singled out points of agreement including greater accessibility, primacy of local plans, criticism of slow local plan delivery, a presumption in favour of sustainable development and the importance of transition arrangements.
But he merely said the report “makes specific constructive suggestions” in respect of:-
· an expanded sustainable development definition;
· standardized definitions such as “weight”;
· the importance of local plans;
· “clarifying the expression of policy on brownfield land, offices in town centres and windfall sites”.
