Latest Policy and Governance legislation that could impact and/or may require action from our member charities, with links to further information where applicable.

PLANNING POLICY EXAMINED BY LEVELLING UP COMMITTEE

The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (LUHC) Committee announced on 3rd February 2023 that it will be examining the government’s current consultation on reforms to national planning policy, looking at the proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the government’s wider approach to planning reform.

The LUHC Committee’s scrutiny of the reforms to national planning policy is likely to open with an evidence session with planning, local authority and housing stakeholders. This evidence session is likely to be scheduled in March after the deadline (2 March 2023) of the government’s consultation.

The Committee is expected to examine the government’s proposed changes to the NPPF, the approach to developing National Development Management Policies (NDMPs), and other proposals for planning reform resulting from the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill.

Clive Betts, Chair of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee, said:

“The government’s consultation on reforms to national planning policy raises a series of issues into areas such as NDMPs and how they might affect the primacy of local plans as well as questions around local housing need, the stated commitment to the housing target, and how this is supported by local plans.

“We are already hearing that the uncertainty of what the planning system will look like, and the state of flux over recent years, is now having an impact on planners, councils and developers.

“A host of housing and other planning issues, including planning for on-shore wind, are affected by the consultation. We look forward to hearing the views of local councils, housebuilders, planners, and other interested parties, on the government’s proposed policies and how they might affect planning and housing provision across England.”

Committee membership: Clive Betts (MP for Sheffield South East, Labour) is Chair of the Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities Committee.

In consultation with partners and members, The Almshouse Association will be putting forward the proposed response. Please contact nickphillips@almshouses.org if you have any queries or would like to suggest amendments to the proposed response.

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022

The Almshouse Association has been asked by members to confirm the recent amends to the Fire Safety rules on high and multiple occupancy buildings.

Commencing 23 January 2023, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 (the Regulations) make it a requirement for responsible persons of high-rise residential buildings to provide information on their building/s to their local fire and rescue service. Those affected are residential buildings containing two or more sets of domestic premises at least 11 metres high. 

To clarify, these amendments apply only to almshouses over 11m high and are ‘houses in multiple occupation’ (HMO). Below is a link to the Frequently Asked Questions on the NFCC Website.

https://www.nationalfirechiefs.org.uk/Frequently-Asked-Questions

RECORD OF PREVIOUS Policy and Governance updates:

posted 6 February 2023