🎤 Richborough CEO Paul Campbell spoke on two panel sessions at The Planning Summit in London last week. The event offered exclusive insights into planning reforms from the leaders driving change.
Here’s a breakdown of what Paul said:
SESSION 1: How can local planning authorities develop a positive approach to good development, while continuing to protect their communities from bad schemes?
✅ Meaningful pre-application engagement and regular calls and meetings to positively and speedily resolve any issues arising during the application.
✅ Encourage the use of design panel reviews when appropriate and give it due weight when determining the application.
✅ Be open to how applicants can fund external advice to overcome LPA resource challenges or Counsel advice where this might be helpful for Members to take informed decisions on appeal prospects should they refuse against officer recommendation.
SESSION 2: Grey belt – Will housing development be brought forward under the golden rules?
✅ LPAs with Green Belt are commonly the slowest in progressing local plans because they feel like there is no consequence and yet Green Belt is often around highly populated towns and cities where the housing need is the greatest and is most sustainably located
✅ The introduction of the grey belt concept has enabled a more grown up conversation about Green Belt being a policy of constraint rather than an environmental or landscape policy. This and the fact that the housing crisis is so severe and affects so many, means the Overton Window has shifted.
✅ The +15% affordable housing can be borne in lots, but not all, locations and it will therefore limit the amount of sites that will come forward, but there will be a significant and quick increase in housing development as a result of the policy.
Any questions? Comment below or drop us a line at land@richborough.co.uk