Farming and rural organisations have welcomed government proposals for reforms to the planning system that will make it easier for farmers to expand their businesses and secure approval for new agricultural buildings.
Various measures that should benefit farm businesses were included in a wider set of proposals designed to revamp the National Planning Policy Framework and remove blockages in the planning system, published by the government for consultation on Tuesday.
The measures include preferential treatment for developments that strengthen local economies and provide new services, including shops, leisure facilities, and food production.
Changes to the Principle of Development mean local planning authorities will now be expected to give a default ‘yes’ to agricultural developments in rural areas, except in exceptional circumstances. This is expected to reduce red tape, speed up applications and support investment in modern facilities, including those aimed at improving animal welfare standards, according to the NFU.
The reforms also reaffirm the government’s commitment to consult on BNG (Biodiversity Net Gain) exemptions for smaller sites in the new year, while simplifying rules to make it cheaper and easier to deliver biodiverse habitats offsite.
The NFU said that, for farmers and growers, the practical impact of these reforms will be felt in reduced red tape and clearer guidance when bringing forward small-scale developments.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: “Right now we see a planning system that still isn’t working well enough. A system saying ‘no’ more often than it says ‘yes’ and that favours obstructing instead of building.
“It has real-world consequences for those aspiring to own a home of their own and those hoping to escape so-called temporary accommodation – we owe it to the people of this country to do everything within our power to build the homes they deserve.”
Reaction
NFU Vice-president Rachel Hallos said: “The government’s proposed consultation is a clear indication of its intent to modernise the planning system and make it work better for farming businesses. We agree with Secretary of State Steve Reed that the current system is not working well enough and must change to allow our members’ businesses to grow and invest in the future.
“The changes to the Principle of Development would, if implemented, be a significant step forward in making planning simpler and more supportive of farming businesses.”
NPA chief executive Lizzie Wilson also welcomes the proposals. “Planning is key to so many of the different challenges farmers face, whether it’s improving animal welfare or environmental sustainability and helping us to deliver on government ambitions around water quality,” she said.
“Any changes that unblock the planning system and help farmers meet these challenges are welcome, and we are pleased that these proposals seem to go some way towards achieving that.
“Within the planning process, there needs to be an inherent understanding of the need for and importance of agricultural infrastructure in a viable and environmentally sensitive agricultural business, and a mechanism to facilitate this, ultimately delivering national food security, net zero targets and enabling government’s ambitions with regard to land use change, the Farming Roadmap and the Food Strategy.”
Country Land and Business Association (CLA) president Gavin Lane said: “Ministers within MHCLG and Defra should be praised for listening. This National Planning Policy Framework consultation represents a positive step forward for rural areas and, once enacted, these policies will boost growth in the countryside.
“The consultation acknowledges the unique challenges faced by rural communities and includes new policies on management of flood risk, energy and water. Now we need planning officers to have better access to training on rural issues and agricultural matters to ensure these reforms deliver for the countryside.”
- You can view the consultation HERE