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The government鈥檚 proposed reforms to the planning system will allow unsustainable developments to go ahead and needs 鈥渟ignificant鈥� alterations, according to a report by MPs.

A highly critical communities department select committee report on the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), says that the government needs to remove references to the default answer to planning applications being 鈥測es鈥�.

It calls for the government to drop references to planning applications being approved unless the adverse effects 鈥渟ignificantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits,鈥� and calls for a bias in favour of brownfield development to be re-introduced.

It also says that the government needs to strengthen the definition of sustainable development, and tighten up drafting in a number of key areas in order to avoid fuelling a system of 鈥減lanning by appeal鈥�.

The publication of the NPPF in July 2011 was designed to reduce more than 1,000 pages of planning guidance to a single 60-page document, introducing a presumption in favour of sustainable development to the planning system. It followed the abolition of Labour鈥檚 Regional Spatial Strategies, which had sought to enforce development through centralised targets.

As currently worded the framework would introduce several ambiguities that are more likely to slow down the planning process

Clive Betts MP, chair of the Communities and Local Government Committee, said: 鈥淭he way the framework is drafted currently gives the impression that greater emphasis should be given in planning decisions to economic growth.

鈥淭his undermines the equally important environmental and social elements of the planning system. As currently drafted the 鈥榙efault yes鈥� to development also carries the risk of the planning system being used to implement unsustainable development.

鈥淎s currently worded the framework would introduce several ambiguities that are more likely to slow down the planning process. Gaps or contradictions in the document are likely to fuel a system of 鈥榩lanning decision by appeal鈥� instead of the local decision making that ministers advocate,鈥� he says.

The report finds that the introduction of viability testing in the draft NPPF is also likely to undermine the environmental quality of developments as currently drafted.

It supports the principle of a presumption in favour of sustainable development, but offers its own definition of sustainable development based on the principles of the Labour government鈥檚 2005 Sustainable Development Strategy designed to balance economic, environmental and social factors.

Kate Henderson, chief executive of the Town and Country Planning Association, said welcomed the MPs conclusions. 鈥淪ustainable development must be at the heart of the planning system, and a principled and measured definition, such as that contained within the 2005 Sustainable Development Strategy, is pivotal to delivering the kind of inclusive, attractive and resilient communities we want to see both now and in the future,鈥� she said.

The report also adds that the presumption in favour should be consistent with any existing local plan, to avoid the NPPF and local plans ending up in conflict.

Liz Peace, chief executive of the British Property Federation, said the BPF also supported many of the recommendations in the report.

However, she added: 鈥淲e could support the committee鈥檚 definition of sustainable development and re-worded 鈥榩resumption in favour鈥� as long as local authorities were compelled to produce a local plan. As it stands, only 47% of local authorities have got around to producing one and the committee鈥檚 suggestion risks a complete development hiatus in the remaining 53% of areas.鈥�