§ The Minister for Housing and Planning (Keith Hill)The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister expects to publish in August new planning policy statements on both sustainable development in rural areas and renewable energy in England. These will be the first in a new series of planning policy statements that are being introduced as part of the Government's programme of reform to the planning system. The new planning policy statement 7 (PPS7) will replace existing planning policy guidance note 7 (PPG7), "The Countryside—Environmental Quality and Economic and Social Development", published in February 1997. The new planning policy statement 22 (PPS22) will replace existing planning policy guidance note 22 (PPG22): "Renewable Energy" published in February 1993.
A draft of PPS7 was issued for public consultation in September 2003. The key policy aims of PPS7 are to plan for and facilitate good quality, sustainable development to support thriving rural communities and businesses, while protecting the beauty and character of the countryside.
A draft of PPS22 was issued for consultation in November 2003. The final document will be an important step towards facilitating the delivery of more renewable energy developments and thereby meeting this Government's commitments in respect of global warming and climate change.
Local planning authorities will need to have regard to the policies in PPS7 and PPS22 in preparing their local development documents, as should regional planning 86WS bodies in the preparation of regional spatial strategies. The policies may also be material to decisions on individual planning applications.
Copies of both PPS7 and PPS22 will be made available in the Libraries of both Houses following publication. They will also be made available on the website of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Copies of the responses to the consultation exercises will be made available for inspection through the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's library and lists of those responses will also be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.