obstacles to infrastructure planning? a view from practice
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Obstacles to Infrastructure Planning? A view from practice. William Upton Barrister, 6 Pump Court. The starting proposition is said to be that the current complexity of environmental legislation can cause unnecessary delay and cost to important infrastructure development and economic growth. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Obstacles to Infrastructure Planning?A view from practice
William UptonBarrister, 6 Pump Court
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The starting proposition is said to be that the current complexity of environmental legislation can cause unnecessary delay and cost to important infrastructure development and economic growth.
(This rather minimises the benefits and purpose behind the legislation)
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This is not a new issue, and it is worth exploring how far this has been addressed in the last 5 years
By its origins, philosophy and principles, planning law is concerned with the regulation of the private use of land in the interests of the community as a whole.
But, this is not always about striking a balance, there are some overriding designations
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National Infrastructure Plan:the Treasury’s shopping list
Roads Rail Airports Ports Electricity Gas Communications (phone, internet, broadcasting etc) Flood Risk Management Waste
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How far has “infrastructure planning” been put in a different category ?
Material considerations remain similar
Processes have been changed
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Planning permission:material considerations would be …
Overlooking/loss of privacy Loss of light or
overshadowing Parking Highway safety Traffic Noise Effect on listed buildings
and conservation area Layout and density of
building
Design, appearance and materials
Disabled persons' access Nature conservation Proposals in the
Development Plan Previous planning
decisions (including appeal decisions)
Government policy
[SOURCE: PLANNINGPORTAL.GOV.UK]
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Assessments required: draft National Networks NSIP list
Environmental Impact Assessment, Habitats Regulations Assessment, Alternatives, Good design, Climate change adaptation, Pollution control, Nuisance, Safety, Security and health
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Assessments required: - Generic impacts (Chap.5)
air quality biodiversity and
conservation waste aviation and
defence coastal change nuisances (e.g.
dust)
flood risk historic environment landscape and visual land use (inc. the
Green Belt) noise and vibration impacts on transport
networks and water quality.
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Why not use the Local plan ?could be … (NPPF 14)
LPAs should positively seek opportunities to meet the development needs of their area;
Local Plans should meet objectively assessed needs, with sufficient flexibility to adapt to rapid change, unless:
any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against the policies in this Framework taken as a whole; or
specific policies in this Framework indicate development should be restricted [fn 9].
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Fn.9 to NPPF para 14 sets out the restrictions: For example, those policies relating to sites
protected under the Birds and Habitats Directives (see paragraph 119) and/or designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest; land designated as Green Belt, Local Green Space, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Heritage Coast or within a National Park (or the Broads Authority); designated heritage assets; and locations at risk of flooding or coastal erosion.
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The limits to positive encouragement
“Yes, if …” approach Using “a positive,
pragmatic and proactive manner, with the aim of resolving any elements in the Plan which are not legally compliant or sound.”
BUT, has to defer to:Mitigation Hierarchy (NPPF 118)
Avoid Minimise/ Mitigate Compensate
SSSIs ?Birds and Habitats Directives ?
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How far has “infrastructure planning” been put in a different category ?
Not just seeking planning permission, and supporting infrastructure, and applying the dev plan & national policy
Need is established at the national level, Planning Act 2008 & other legislation
Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP)
Hybrid Bills (eg. Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act, HS2 Bill etc)
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For example,
Thames Tideway Tunnel (ongoing) Should we be doing this at all? And is this
the only way to do it ? DECIDED NSIP ‘Wastewater’, and its own SEA
If it is to be this project, what should it look like, where should it go in detail, and whose land needs to be acquired ? DCO process for a single order, and its EIA Inquisitorial process, not adversarial
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2014 Review of NSIP process itself:
Consultation on measures to:improve pre-application phase, and make consultation requirements proportionate;improve the pre-examination and examination phase;make changes to Development Consent Orders after consent is granted;streamline consents; andimprove engagement with local communities, local authorities and statutory consultees.
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The scrutiny by the courts
R (Gate) v SoS Transport & Lancashire CC [2013] Dual carriageway link road to M6 NSIP category definition upheld Consultation criticised Other NSPs are material considerations Limited alternative routes assessment, &
further nature conservation surveys allowed Warning about likely exercise of Court
discretion against relief
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The Courts continue to adapt as well
Tesco v Dundee [2012] interpretation of planning policy is a matter of
law, but the application of planning policy is a matter of judgment
Procedural changes: Cost capping and Aarhus Convention claims Judicial review time limit now 6 weeks Dedicated Admin Ct lead judge JR consultation in general
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But, even so,More planning change a’coming in:
National Infrastructure Plan 2013 (“NIP”) Treasury’s document, 3rd edition
Autumn Statement (Dec 2013) repeats every infrastructure announcement in the NIP The 'Top 40' list of projects and programmes
All are expected to be NSIP, if they can be … & will make a positive decision more likely (?)
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National Infrastructure Plan 2013
the government will introduce a specialist planning court with set
deadlines to handle planning judicial reviews (Jan 2014)
ensure that 'minor procedural claims are dealt with proportionately'
appeals can 'leapfrog' the Court of Appeal directly to the Supreme Court in a wider range of cases.
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National Infrastructure Plan 2013
Consultation will follow on the proposals for: a statutory requirement to have a Local Plan in
place Rule that where a planning authority has failed to
discharge a condition on time, it will be treated as having been approved
planning authorities will have to provide more justification for imposing conditions
raising the threshold for 'special measures' from 30% of decisions made on time to 40%
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“Obstacles” ?
used to be known as requirements ? Rule of Law and accountability
Regulatory systems ? Enforcement?
role of the lawyer: Work with the tools we are given Aims of the client vary:
promote; support; oppose; delay; avoid etc What if special interest, or separate jurisdiction ?
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Have our expectations of the process changed ?
In 1958, the Franks Report said this:
“The intention of the legislature in providing for an inquiry or hearing in certain circumstances appears to have been twofold: to ensure that the interests of the citizen closely affected should be protected by the grant to them of a statutory right to be heard in support of their objections and to ensure that thereby the Minister should be better informed about the facts of the case.”
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Obstacles to Infrastructure Planning?A view from practice
William UptonBarrister, 6 Pump Court