As part of consultation on the Neighbourhood Planning Bill, the Dept for Communities and Local Government recently consulted on measures to address what they termed “the inappropriate use of pre-commencement planning conditions”((https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/improving-the-use-of-planning-conditions)).
Rescue believes that these proposals should be completely reconsidered, as they might well lead to conflicts with national and international environmental policies.
The Government has provided little evidence that such precommencement conditions are “unnecessary and unreasonable”. In heritage terms, local authority archaeological advisors remain in the best position to take balanced and reasonable decisions, that are clearly of benefit to the historic environment and in compliance with national and local planning policy and guidance.
Rescue remain deeply concerned that the ability to challenge the imposition of planning conditions will lead to further delays to a process which is under considerable pressure from cuts.
[gview file=”https://rescue-archaeology.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Rescue-Response-Planning-Conditions-final-1.pdf”]
