Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-04-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the protections currently available under planning law for parcels of land which are subject to planning applications and which are close to National Parks.

Nick Boles

The Government made clear in the National Planning Policy Framework that National Parks have the highest status of protection in relation to landscape and scenic beauty and that great weight should be placed on their conservation. In developing the planning guidance, which was published in March 2014 to support the Framework, the Government took account of feedback raised during the ‘Beta’ test phase. . The guidance, which is a material consideration in planning decisions, explains that section 11A(2) of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 requires authorities to ‘have regard’ to the purpose of National Parks ‘in exercising or performing any functions in relation to, or so as to affect, land’ in National Parks. The guidance is clear that the duty is relevant in considering development proposals that are situated outside National Parks, but which might have an impact on the setting of, and implementation of, the statutory purposes of these protected areas.

Through the Localism Act, the Government has strengthened the role of Local Plans to shape where development should or should not go. This would allow councils to protect the countryside close to National Parks.