Agenda item - Chair's Communications

52.1    The Chair stated the following: The Levelling Up Regeneration Bill was finally passed in parliament on the 26 October and received royal assent. It is now the Levelling Up Regeneration Act. 

However, the new Act has not been published. I have not been able to see how many of the key clauses relating to the planning system have been changed. Key provisions will include proposals relating to the changes to the development plan system and the development management system, and the target provisions for housing.  

The new Act will need to be brought into force and there will be a requirement for changes to existing statutory instruments regarding these changes so the changes are not likely to take effect for some time. I will update you when this happens.  

There will be new National Development Management Policies and changes to the way regarding the calculations for housing and how those figures are applied to take local circumstances into account.?The tests for housing delivery will change. Efforts have been made in the House of Lords through Lord Crisp to support the healthier homes principles which the Commons did not adopt in full although some concession has been derived. I was personally involved with this effort before I became a Cllr. We also expect to see a new system in relation to the operation of the Infrastructure Levy.?  

There will also be significant changes to the legal framework for environment assessment which is still on going. The Government is proposing to adopt Environmental Outcomes Reports to replace legislation that was comprehensively based on the EU legal framework. I expect the Act?will change the way we have processed assessments for many years through EIA and SEA.  

The Council will be keeping you and residents up to date with the changes. They will be reflected in the way that our options for the emerging spatial plan will be developed and that will be evident in the material that is published for future consultations about the direction of our city in planning terms. The changes will mean that our existing system of planning assessment changes. Further clarification is awaited.