The long-awaited new planning guidance is now on-line here.
The new guidance indicates a shift in balance between brownfield and greenfield development, where recently the emphasis seems to have been on greenfield sites. New financial incentives now encourage developers to develop brownfield sites.
Not only that, local authorities are now able to block greenfield developments if the local road and sewerage infrastructure are not adequate.
This new balance is welcome news but, sadly, too late though for us. With this new guidance, both Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough may have been able to have stopped the Ridgeway Farm development which neither authority wanted.
Once again, local people knew better but it has taken a while for the Government to wake up and take another look at its disastrous new planning policy framework and make the necessary changes.
