Statement on intervention of government in local planning process

Following Reform UK West Northants Administration's decision to bin work on the emerging Local Plan, the Government has now intervened and issued a directive insisting the plan moves forward for Regulation 19 consultation by the 5 October and submission to the Planning Inspector by 31 December.
We welcome this intervention.

• the council has spent around £4 million of direct and indirect costs getting to this stage 
• the plan started its path in 2019 under a Conservative Administration 
• the plan has been subject to four public consultations so far 

There are many things that we dislike about the revisions to the new National Planning Policy Framework, and changes to further planning powers that the Labour government are making.

However, we continue to believe that our communities are better protected by a new plan and its associated policies rather than not having one at all and waiting for a further three years for a new one to be developed.

No plan is perfect - but to have NO plan is RECKLESS!