Decision details

Cabinet on 19 October 2020 concerned a report on the Government's White Paper - Planning for the Future consultation.

The following recommendations were agreed: It is recommended that Cabinet:

1. Note and consider the initial response to the Government’s White Paper (Planning for the future) consultation as set out in appendix A.
2. Agree to delegate the wording of the final joint response and any individual response to the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development, in consultation with the Lead Cabinet member for Planning Policy and Delivery.

This decision seeks to finalise the response for submission to government. The response considered by Cabinet has been refined from bullet points into formatted responses. They key concerns raised by members have been drawn out more clearly in the responses:

• Positive opportunities for Greater Cambridge to be a pathfinder in aspects like digital approaches to planning, where the Councils have already taken significant steps.
• Concern reading the impact on community involvement and engagement in the planning process, including the impact on the democratic process.
• Lack of detail regarding the proposed Levy and how it would work. Concerns how the Levy paid at the end of the development process would enable upfront delivery of infrastructure.
• Concerns regarding capacity of Local Authorities to implement and resource the proposals in the short time scales proposed.
• The focus of these proposals being on the upfront permissions process, rather than identifying measures that would actually speed up delivery.

To confirm that the response set out in Appendix 1 of this decision should be made to the government consultation on the White Paper.

To provide the views of South Cambridgeshire District Council on the consultation.

Option 1: To not agree the proposed response to the consultation.

Option 2: to not seek a joint response with Cambridge City Council

Reason for rejection: the consultation offers an opportunity to feedback on proposals which could have significant impacts on planning in the Greater Cambridge area.