By Matthew Taylor
Associate Director
Aitchison Raffety
ACROSS Northamptonshire’s various local authorities, work continues on the preparation of planning documents that will shape how and where new developments take place. However, at a national level there have been recent changes that could have big implications for the county’s towns, particularly Northampton itself.
Permission in principle, or PIP, sets out a new process for obtaining planning permission for housing-led development. It is intended to speed up housing delivery and provide greater certainty over the development potential of previously developed land and buildings.
All local authorities are required to publish a Brownfield Land Register before the end of 2017. The register will be divided into two parts with Part 1 listing all available previously developed land (subject to certain criteria), and Part 2 setting out which of these have been granted permission in principle. To issue permission in principle the local authority must have regard to the development plan and any other material considerations. Additionally, they must undertake a formal consultation exercise.
PIPs will establish the principle matters – use, location and the amount of development, with a separate technical consent needed to assess the design, mitigation of impacts and contributions towards infrastructure.
Given the likelihood of there being a number of brownfield sites across Northampton and also other towns in the county, the introduction of PIP could lead to opportunities for land and property owners to promote their land for inclusion within the councils’ lists. Whilst many sites may already be on the councils’ radar, should you have a brownfield site in Northampton, now would be an ideal time to remind the relevant local authority that your site is potentially available for development.
We will see in due course whether permission in principle will achieve the aim of greater certainty and speed in the planning process and whether it offers anything different to the current process of site allocations, outline planning applications or local development orders. However, with all land promotion within the planning process, it is better to be seen to pushing your land forward to the council than merely stand back and potentially lose out.
If you own a brownfield site or are advising a client, we would be keen to hear from you to discuss how to engage with the new Brownfield Land Register process. Please contact Matthew Taylor, Associate Director in Aitchison Raffety’s Planning Division on 01604 880163 or via email at
