Decision details

1. Background

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has launched an eight-week consultation on proposals to establish a new Office for Place, which would require all local planning authorities to create their own design codes in consultation with local stakeholders. These design codes would have to be adhered in the planning submission process by all developers, and would entail some alterations to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Deadline: 27th March

2. Context

The consultation follows directly from the 2021 consultations on the Planning White Paper. Last autumn, the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service (GCSP) responded to the Planning White Paper: Planning For The Future, Changes To The Current Planning System and Land Data consultations last Autumn. A copy of this joint response is available on the Councils’ websites.

The rationale, proposals and specific questions for this consultation, as well as the draft text updates to the NPPF and the annexed draft National Model Design Code can be downloaded from the government’s website. 

In this consultation, the government is acting to implement some of the main recommendations from the Building Better, Building Beautiful Report.

3. Proposed Response from Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council

Overall, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service Officers consulted agree with the government that the planning system could be improved and should have more emphasis on design. This view echoes Greater Cambridge’s response to the Planning White Paper last year where proposals that simplify processes and take advantage of more digital approaches to provide more certainty, design quality, and an emphasis on sustainability were welcomed.

However, there are significant concerns that some of the proposed changes may undermine its stated objectives of achieving good design. This concern is centred on proposed changes to Article 4 directions and the resources to deliver the design codes in a coherent manner.

The full response proposed is included as Appendix 1 to this decision.

To confirm that the response set out in Appendix 1 of this decision should be made to the government consultation on changes to the NPPF and National Design Code.

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.