The Department for Communities and local government has issued revised planning practice guidance in response to the review by Lord Taylor in 2012. Among other things the guidance:
- makes clear that councils need to consider strict tests for flood risks of new development;
- re-affirms green belt protection, noting that unmet housing need is unlikely to outweigh harm to the green belt and other harms to constitute very special circumstances; and
- states that local plans can pass the test of soundness when local authorities have been unable to identify land for growth for years 11 to 15 of the plan period