Planning: Urban Areas
Communities and Local Government
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will ensure that the revised National Planning Policy framework will contain a presumption in favour of town centre development.
Greg Clark (Minister of State (Decentralisation), Communities and Local Government; Tunbridge Wells, Conservative)
We remain committed to the town centre first approach set out in current policy, which we have included in the draft National Planning Policy Framework. Local authorities should recognise town centres as the heart of their communities and the draft Framework makes clear that they should pursue policies to support their viability and vitality. The consultation on the draft Framework has closed now and we are considering all the responses.