Localism Bill

203K: Before Clause 97, insert the following new Clause— ““Duty to promote sustainable development (1) Each person who is carrying out functions under any Acts relating to planning and who is— (a) a local planning authority, (b) a county council in England that is not a local planning authority, (c) the Secretary of State when carrying out functions relating to applications for development consent, (d) a qualifying body for the purposes of Schedule 9 (neighbourhood planning), (e) a body, or other person, that is prescribed or of a prescribed description, must carry out their functions with the objective of promoting sustainable development. (2) For the purposes of subsection (1) ““sustainable development”” means development that meets the social, economic and environmental needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, based on the following guiding principles— (a) living within environmental limits, namely respecting the limits of the planet’s environment, resources and biodiversity, to improve our environment and ensure that the natural resources needed for life are unimpaired and remain so for future generations, (b) ensuring a strong, healthy and just society, namely meeting the diverse needs of all people in existing and future communities, promoting personal wellbeing, social cohesion and inclusion, and creating equal opportunity for all, (c) achieving a sustainable economy, namely building a strong, stable and sustainable economy which provides prosperity and opportunities to all, and in which environmental and social costs fall on those who impose them and efficient resource use is incentivised, (d) promoting good governance, namely actively promoting effective, participative systems of governance in all levels of society and engaging people’s creativity, energy and diversity, (e) using sound science responsibly, namely ensuring policy is developed on the basis of strong scientific evidence, whilst taking into account scientific uncertainty (through the precautionary principle) as well as public attitudes and values. (3) Section 10 of the Planning Act 2004 is amended as follows. (4) After subsection (3) insert— ““(4) In this section ““sustainable development”” has the same meaning as in section (Duty to promote sustainable development) in the Localism Act 2011.””””