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Javid to push ahead with local plan interventions in three councils
Housing secretary Sajid Javid has told three councils he will push ahead with the process of intervening in their local plans.
Mr Javid threatened 15 councils with intervention in November because of their failure to get plans together, demanding a progress update or an explanation for their slowness by the end of January.
On Friday he wrote to the leaders of Castle Point, Wirral and Thanet councils informing them that the intervention process will continue – meaning civil servants or external consultants could write their local plans.
Mr Javid dismissed the councils’ excuses for their lack of progress since November.
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Castle Point Borough Council argued that its proximity to the green belt and being part of the South Essex joint plan had caused it to miss deadlines, and complained that its previous plan should not have been found unsound.
However, Mr Javid said these “do not appear to be exceptional circumstances” and stood by the Planning Inspectorate’s decision to find the previous plan unsound.
He also rejected Wirral Council’s argument that being part of the Liverpool City Region had slowed its progress.
And he told Thanet District Council that local controversy over the future of Manston Airport did not justify the cabinet’s decision to reject a draft local plan in January.
The remaining 12 councils – Northumberland, St Albans, Brentwood, Mansfield, Calderdale, Eastleigh, Basildon, Bolsover, North East Derby, York, Runnymede and Liverpool – were able to demonstrate sufficient evidence of progress to avoid intervention.
“I will continue to monitor your progress closely and any further significant delays in meeting your timetable will cause me to have considerable doubt as to whether your council is doing everything that is necessary in connection with the preparation of its local plan,” Mr Javid told these councils.
A spokesperson for Thanet District Council said: “As a new administration we are committed to progressing and delivering a local plan. This intervention was expected and we welcome the opportunity to work together with government to achieve a plan that works for Thanet.”
George Davies, cabinet member for housing and community safety at Wirral Council, said: “We are extremely disappointed at this response from government. Earlier this year, we set out a clear, robust plan for delivering a local plan which met the housing needs of our residents.
“We’ve been in regular dialogue with civil servants and we remain confident that when we meet them and they see our plans they will be more than satisfied with our progress.”
In a joint statement, Colin Riley, leader of Castle Point Borough Council and chief executive David Marchant said: “Naturally, it is particularly disappointing that the secretary of state did not consider the circumstances in Castle Point to be exceptional.
“We will of course co-operate fully with the government planning team as they review the history of our local plan to inform the next steps of the secretary of state.”
Update: at 13.59pm 26/03/18 A statement from Wirral Council was added to the story.
Update: at 12.46 pm 27/03/18 A statement from Castle Point Borough Council was added to the story.
