§ Mr. ThurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he has any plans to amend the advice contained in planning policy guidance note PPG3 "Land for Housing" to enable local authorities to make an allowance in advance for sites of over 0.4 hectares in their housing land availability studies; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will issue advice to local authorities to encourage them to monitor the supply of housing built on land not previously identified as suitable for building, including on sites exceeding 0.4 hectares in size; and if he will make a statement;
(3) if he will make it his policy to support those local authorities on appeal who have refused planning permission for housing on allocated land where the supply of housing on unidentified sites is likely to breach structure plan guidelines; and if he will make a statement;
(4) if he will take steps to discourage the allocation of further housebuilding land in areas where the supply of housing on previously unidentified sites over 0.4 hectares is so large that building is likely to exceed the level agreed through the structure plan process; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MoynihanRevised draft guidance on land for housing, which is intended to replace the present planning policy guidance note 3, was issued for consultation on 4 October; I am sending my hon. Friend a copy. Comments are invited by 5 January 1990.
The draft guidance continues to stress the need for adequate planned provision for new housing; but it proposes changes to the method by which planning authorities carry out their regular assessments of land availability which would enable them to make fuller allowance for the emergence of previously unidentified sites where that is justified by evidence of past land supply. The draft also recognises that the emergence of large unidentified sites may have a bearing on the timing of the release of other land, for instance where the development plan includes a phasing policy.
The draft makes it clear that where there is an up-to-date local plan which is consistent with national and regional policies and with the relevant provisions of the structure plan, it will carry considerable weight, and my right hon. Friend and his inspectors will be guided by it in dealing with planning appeals.