Minister suggests brownfield first presumption may be written back in to draft planning framework

Decentralisation minister Greg Clark appeared to pave the way for concessions over the wording of the National Planning Framework in a seminar organised by the British Property Federation yesterday.

In particular Clark referred to the proposed watering down of the 鈥渂rownfield first鈥� development presumption in the current planning system, as an area where ministers could be persuaded to look again.

He also accepted that some parts of the draft NPPF were not worded clearly, saying that was inevitable given the task of reducing over 3,000 pages of guidance to just over 50, and saying the government would consider a clearer definition of 鈥渟ustainable development鈥�.

Clark said: 鈥淚t was never my intention, and it certainly was not the government鈥檚 intention, to depart from the obviously desirable situation in which derelict land should be brought back into use. That is always the intention.

鈥淚f not mentioning brownfield at all leads people to conclude there is a different intention, then without pre-empting the consultation, that is something that I am hearing being said. If people think there is some desire not to prioritise the re-use of derelict land then that is something I think the consultation will clearly address.鈥�

Talking of the definition of sustainable development, Clark said: 鈥淧eople have suggested that it could be clearer there so we will respond to that. If people responding to the consultation think that various aspects should be more clearly expressed then we are very happy to do so.鈥�

Clark鈥檚 comments follow the intervention of prime minister David Cameron, who earlier in the week wrote to Dame Fiona Reynolds, director general of the National Trust, pledging protection of the countryside and a dialogue over the reforms.

Reynolds told the Guardian newspaper: 鈥淲hat Clark said suggests we are now in proper consultation mode. Some of what was said earlier by Osborne, Pickles and Clark did not feel like a consultation. We can now move forward in a positive spirit.鈥�

Friends of the Earth鈥檚 planning campaigner, Naomi Luhde-Thompson, said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e pleased Clark recognises that parts of his planning proposals aren鈥檛 very clear. It鈥檚 what we鈥檝e been telling him since they were published.鈥�

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