Policy Planning Guidance notes (PPGs) set out the Government's policies on different aspects of planning. Local planning authorities must take their content into account in preparing their development plans. The guidance may also be material to decisions on individual planning applications and appeals. A resume of existing guidance appears in Annex B of PPG1.
PPG1: General Policy and Principles is now in its third edition. The original edition was published in 1988 as an introduction to the new series of Planning Guidance Notes that was launched that year. It provided an overview and general statement of the objectives of the planning system. The consolidation of the planning legislation in 1990 and, more importantly, the enactment of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991, prompted a second edition which was published in 1992.
The second edition marked a fundamental change in policy. Previously planning law contained a general presumption in favour of development. Development should be allowed unless it would cause material harm. The Planning and Compensation Act 1991 radically amended this policy and introduced a presumption in favour of the Development Plan.
The controversial planning decisions in the Kirkstall Valley all took place while the 1992 guidance was in effect. However the LDC Director of Planning (Mr Alan Goodrum) failed to stress the new government policies in his reports to the LDC board, quoting only paragraph 5:
"[the planning system] should operate on the basis that applications for development should be allowed, having regard to the development plan and all material considerations, unless the proposed development would cause demonstrable harm to interests of acknowledged importance"
and omiting the detailed advice in paragraph 25:
"In effect, this introduces a presumption in favour of development proposals which are in accordance with the development plan. An applicant who proposes development which is clearly in conflict with the development plan would need to produce convincing reasons why the plan should not prevail".
The 1972 development plan for the Kirkstall Valley stated that the land at Bridge Road was allocated as playing fields and public open space. A similar policy was re-stated in the emerging Leeds Unitary Development Plan.
The 1997 edition of PPG1 which is now in force re-states these policy changes with additional emphasis. There are twelve references to sustainable development. There is also fresh emphasis on mixed-use development and design, and new material on the Citizens Charter and propriety.
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