Petition Moratorium on Presumption in Favour

The Government introduced the concept of Localism, in which Local Authorities work up Local Plans, taking account of the views of the people & which will then be used to judge whether or not Planning Applications should be permitted.

However, it then introduced the concept of Presumption in Favour of sustainable development, leaving our beautiful countryside at risk of speculative & inappropriate development, for the many districts where Plans have still to be completed & adopted.

That risk could be avoided, or at least reduced, if Ministers were to instruct the Government’s Planning Inspectorate that “presumption in favour” is to be suspended for 12 months, thereby allowing Local & Neighbourhood plans to be completed.

This petition proposes a moratorium of at least one year, on the application of “presumption in favour”, to allow Local and Neighbourhood Plans to be completed properly.