The alterations to the Development Management Procedure Order (DMPO) carry on where the NPPF left off, as part of the Coalition Government’s on-going attempts to relax the planning system and to encourage greater economic growth and housebuilding. The amendments to the DMPO will reduce the information required for outline planning applications, and potentially make the planning system less onerous and more efficient for strategic landholders and developers.

The changes remove the requirement to identify the approximate locations of buildings, routes and open spaces where it is declared that layout is a reserved matter on application forms.

Equally, where scale is a reserved matter, the requirement for stating the upper and lower limit for the height, width and length of the buildings has also been removed.

It means that outline planning applications are moving back closer to their roots – the determination of the acceptability of the use and quantum of development at a site. Clearly this will assist those who are looking to bring forward applications for outline planning applications.

However, where EIA is required, the effect of the above changes could be minimal, as the need to identify the maximum building footprint or height may be critical matters in the determination of the effect of the proposals i.e. where proposals may have an impact upon heritage features or ecologically important locations.

Without such parameters the conclusions of an EIA will necessarily be less definitive and potentially open to challenge. It would appear that, in the case of sensitive sites, it would be sensible to continue to identify application parameters to accord with the EIA regulations and limit the risk of challenge.

The alterations to the DMPO are accompanied by the requirement for local authorities to review their local validation requirements every two years, which should ensure that only key information is required to validate the application. Whilst this provides an additional monitoring burden on developers to ensure local lists remain appropriate, it provides a greater opportunity for review.

The alterations will take effect on 31 January 2013.

Should you require any further information on the implications of these changes to the planning system, please contact David Churchill, or your usual point of contact at Iceni Projects.