The Environmental Audit Committee held a one-off evidence session on 16 February 2011 on the Government’s intention to introduce a ‘presumption in favour of sustainable development’. This was part of the Coalition-Government’s proposal to reform the planning system but this is not included in the Bill. Instead the Government has announced that the ‘presumption in favour of sustainable development’ will be included in a new overarching Government planning policy document, the National Planning Policy Framework, which will not be subject to Parliamentary debate.
A report was then published by the Committee on 21 March 2011. In response, on 28 March 2011, a letter was sent to the Chair of the Committee, Joan Walley MP, by the Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Minister for Decentralisation, Department for Communities and Local Government.
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