This follows the CPRE Sussex Conference ‘Futureproofing Sussex’ held in Shoreham-by-Sea on 23 March which coincided with the release of the CPRE national report ‘Countryside Promises: Planning realities’. The report analyses the way that the government’s planning framework, the National Planning Policy Framework has been applied one year on. The report highlights that the views of local communities are being overruled time and time again, with major new housing developments being allowed to sprawl across precious countryside.

From April this year, local authorities who don’t have a Local Plan in place find their decision making powers to decide on development severely undermined. If their plans don’t have legal force by now, the government’s National Planning Policy Framework allows development unless the disadvantages outweigh the benefits dictated by government. Local voices to determine the future of their area will be severely weakened.

CPRE Sussex have called on Ministers to:

• Extend the time allowed for local authorities to get Local Plans in place by 18 months.

Rodney Chambers, Chairman of CPRE Sussex said:

“ The proper democratic process with full local consultation can take up to 3 years, the 1 year allowed since new government policy was introduced is not enough. Sussex is under threat, only 1 local authority Wealden District Council has an adopted up to date Local Plan in place. The enforced use of the NPPF where there is no up to date Local Plan leaves the door open for damaging development which puts short term economic returns before less effective long term and sustainable economic growth.”

• Allow local authorities to use locally derived housing numbers when considering plans for new development, rather than continuing to insist they use regional plan figures.

Georgia Wrighton, Director of CPRE Sussex said:

“What is the point of promises of more community control when top-down regional plan figures are continuing to be forced upon communities left to stand back, helpless against the loss of precious countryside? We want to see time allowed for local authorities to properly consider local housing need and demand, putting communities at the heart of the process, and this won’t happen until government puts the brakes on a top down approach.”

Planning Inspectors are enforcing the use of regional plan housing figures when considering plans for new development, despite the abolition of the South East Plan. Local authorities must be allowed to use local housing need and demand figures, developed with the involvement of local people. A recent case in Pease Pottage, Mid Sussex shows that Planning Inspectors are continuing to insist on South East Plan housing numbers.

The CPRE Sussex letter to all Sussex MPs, Nick Boles MP Planning Minister and Eric Pickles MP Communities Secretary also called on Ministers to:

• Deliver on promises to put local neighbourhood and community aspirations at the heart of the planning process.

Local communities across Sussex perceive that government promises to Localism are now dead. Enough time must be given to local authorities to allow communities and Parishes working on Neighbourhood Plans to be at the centre of the Local Plan process. Councils must not be in fear of top down housing numbers being enforced or decision making powers undermined if they don’t rush a Local Plan in place.

• Allow sites that are land banked or held onto by developers to be counted as land available for housing.

Unless land is counted as ‘immediately deliverable’ by developers, it cannot be regarded as land available for housing under government rules. Local authorities should be empowered to plan using this land as deliverable for housing in the medium and longer term.

• Reinstate the ‘brownfield first’ policy to empower local authorities to prioritise brownfield development in suitable locations and prevent developers stockpiling greenfield sites.

Local authorities must not be forced to be on the back foot if they want to protect the countryside and promote the regeneration of towns. The presumption must be to develop brownfield sites first before greenfield sites are allowed.