Justin Tomlinson MP has welcomed the publication of two "Plain English" guides which it is hoped will simplify the planning process.
One of the goals of this Government has been to make the planning system more accessible and increase local decision-making. This has included consolidating and simplifying reams of complex and inaccessible Whitehall planning policy and planning guidance. Ministers have also tried to remove unnecessary jargon, which adds unnecessary complexity and discourages public participation.
Since May 2010 the Government has cut bureaucracy around planning, with the National Planning Policy Framework reducing 1,000 pages of planning guidance to fewer than 50. The guides, one focussed on the broad issue of planning and one focussed on planning for Free Schools , were published online at the beginning of January and it is hoped that they will encourage local residents to become more involved in planning matters.
The 'Plain English Guide to Planning' can be found here and the 'Guide to Free School Planning' is available here
Justin Tomlinson MP said: "The two guides issued by Ministers are a fantastic idea and I hope they will make the planning system more open. For too long we battled against a tide of paperwork from Whitehall which was frankly complex and filled with jargon. The National Planning Policy Framework launched in 2012 and these two documents mean that we are helping to tackle bureaucracy and red tape!"
