Isle of Wight councillors are being asked to allow more time for new government guidance to be published and come into force before reconsidering the Draft Island Planning Strategy (IPS).
In early December Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, announced a number of possible changes to national planning policy in relation to housing, local plans and other issues.
Local plans paused
Public consultation on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) Prospectus took place and ran until early March 2023 and a large number of local planning authorities across the country have paused their local plan making while these national planning changes take place.
As a result of the potential changes to national planning policy, at the Full Council meeting in January councillors agreed to extend the time until the end of June for a decision to be made on whether to take the Draft IPS forward.
Will be asked to allow further time
As the government has not yet published the new NPPF, at Cabinet and Full Council meetings this month councillors will be asked to allow further time for the new NPPF to be published and come into force before reconsidering the Draft IPS.
At the same time they will be asked to keep open the route of preparing a new plan in line with any further changes to the planning system as a result of the forthcoming Levelling Up and Regeneration Act.
Fuller: We know more changes are likely to come
Cllr Paul Fuller, Cabinet member for planning and enforcement, said,
“We keenly await the new NPPF from government which we hope will make changes to national planning policy, some of which could be extremely positive for the Island.
“We also know that more changes are likely to come from the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act when it comes into force later in 2023.
“I have had positive conversations with the Island MP on this issue, as well as holding an all member briefing last week to keep councillors updated.
“This is why I will be recommending to Cabinet next week that Full Council are asked to allow more time for the new NPPF to be published before the Draft IPS goes back to Full Council and that the opportunity for a new plan under any new plan making system is also recognised.”
The IPS is a 15-year plan would set the council’s housing targets, outline employment space and create new planning policies.
The latest report due to go before Cabinet on 11 May and Full Council on 17th May is available on the Website.
News shared by Isle of Wight council press office, in their own words. Ed
Image: Daniel McCullough under CC BY 2.0
