22 October 2020

MPs Press Jenrick Over Planning Notices

MPs from different parties have continued to press Robert Jenrick over the threat to local journalism and local transparency posed by proposals to remove planning notices from local newspapers.

In a series of Parliamentary questions to the Communities Secretary, MPs have raised concerns about the millions of people who would be excluded from seeing the notices if the requirement to publicise them in local papers was removed, as proposed in the Planning for the Future consultation

Independent research conducted for the NMA in September by BDA BDRC shows that nearly 10 million people (19 per cent of GB adults), many of whom are vulnerable, would not be able to find planning notices if they did not appear in printed local newspapers.

The deadline to respond to the consultation is just a week away, next Thursday (29 October).

Conservative, Labour, DUP, Green Party and Independent MPs have urged the Government to “recognise that local newspapers have the trust of the public and are best placed to distribute and publicise impartial factual details about planning applications in the form of planning notices” in an Early Day Motion.  

In a Parliamentary written question, Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Rotherham, asked the Communities Secretary “whether he has carried out an impact assessment on the removal of the statutory requirement to publicise planning applications in local newspapers on the (a) number of people who would be excluded from seeing such notices and (b) revenue reduction to local newspapers as a result of the removal of that requirement.”

Emma Hardy, Labour, MP for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle, asked what assessment the Communities Secretary “has made of the potential effect of removing the statutory requirement to publicise planning applications in local newspapers.”

Julian Sturdy, Conservative, MP for York Outer, asked the Communities Secretary, “what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the removal of the statutory requirement to publicise planning applications in local newspapers on (a) transparency and (b) local accountability in the planning process.”

Barry Sheerman, Labour MP for Huddersfield, asked, “what assessment the Communities Secretary has made “of the importance of advertising planning notices in local newspapers to (a) local residents and (b) local media organisations.”

Sir Christopher Chope, Conservative MP for Christchurch, asked what regulatory impact assessment the Communities Secretary, “has carried out on the proposal to remove statutory requirements for planning applications to be publicised in local newspapers; and if he will make a statement.”

The News Media Association has written to the Communities Secretary to alert him to the “potentially grave problems” created by the proposals but has not yet received a response.

“If the Government decided against retaining mandatory newspaper publication of planning notices in the reformed system, this would obstruct and diminish public alert, input and engagement in development proposals, not improve public consultation,” the NMA said.