Agenda item

The Committee received a report concerning the City’s response to the to the Department of Communities and Local Government’s (DCLG’s) consultation document seeking views on how planning measures set out in the Housing and Planning Bill should be implemented.

The Committee was advised that responses to the consultation would inform the detail of secondary legislation that would be prepared once the Housing and Planning Bill received Royal Assent.

The Committee noted that the consultation document proposed significant changes to the planning system and could have a significant impact on the way that the City’s planning service was provided, including the potential for a reduction in planning application fee income.

Members expressed strong reservations concerning several proposals in the draft bill particularly concerning the possible introduction of competition in processing planning applications.

Officers were asked to not confine their feedback to the areas covered by the consultation questions, and also to liaise with other London LAs when responding as a means of increasing the impact of our input.

RESOLVED  - That the comments detailed in the report be agreed and form the basis of the City Corporation’s response to the DCLG technical consultation on implementation of planning changes, subject to any final comments of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman.