Localism Bill

My Lords, my Amendment 148AZZC relates to what the noble Lord, Lord Greaves, has been saying, which I generally support, but is much narrower. It reflects concerns shared by the Royal Town Planning Institute and relates entirely to the purpose of setting up a neighbourhood forum, and hence making a neighbourhood plan. At Report in another place, the Government amended subsection (5)(a) of Section 61F so that an organisation can be designated as a neighbourhood forum if, "““it is established expressly for either or both of the following purposes—""(i) furthering the social, economic and environmental well-being of individuals””—" I abbreviate a bit—and, "““(ii) promoting the carrying on of trades, professions or other businesses””." There was very little discussion of the government amendment in the other place. The purport of ““either or both”” is that the neighbourhood forum and any consequent neighbourhood plan could be set up purely with the sole purpose of carrying on trades, professions or other businesses. There is no reason for that not to be one of the purposes, but government guidance and most ideas of planning take account of economic, social and environmental aspects of sustainable development. A neighbourhood plan should surely not address one activity alone. The Government may want to think again and adopt something along the lines of my amendment, which makes it clear that the purpose of the neighbourhood forum is to further the social, economic and environmental well-being of the residents, including carrying on businesses if need be, but would not allow this at the expense of the other factors.