Oral Answers to Questions

Baroness Fullbrook Excerpts

Monday 31st October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Greg Clark]

My hon. Friend knows that I cannot comment on the particular situation to which she refers, but she should be reassured about the new powers set out in the framework. The Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill), quoted from the legal bible on planning, the planning encyclopaedia. It states, “The most impressive of the sections in the NPPF is that on the green belt.” As a précis of PPG, it states that, “it could not be bettered, in particular in respect to inappropriate development. It would certainly be inconsistent with the policies herein contained for there to be any significant encroachment of built development on the green belt.”

[Lorraine Fullbrook (South Ribble) (Con)]

21. What plans he has to increase the powers of local authorities to deal with unauthorised development.

[The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Eric Pickles)]

The Localism Bill includes five provisions aimed at strengthening local planning authorities’ powers to tackle unauthorised development. These include restrictions on the use of retrospective planning applications when an enforcement notice has been served and the ability of councils to take action against unauthorised development that has been concealed deliberately.

[Lorraine Fullbrook]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that unauthorised developments have created tensions between Travellers and the settled population and consequently created community dysfunction?

[Mr Pickles]

My hon. Friend makes a very reasonable point. The Traveller community has managed to live side by side with the settled community for many years, but recent changes in planning law and recent reliance on human rights have created a number of difficulties. We will be issuing some revised guidance very soon, which will complement the Localism Bill.