Moved by
Baroness Cumberlege
1: Before Clause 1, insert the following new Clause—
“Duty to uphold neighbourhood development plans
(1) The Secretary of State has a duty to uphold neighbourhood development plans, and in fulfilment of that duty must not seek to override neighbourhood development plans except in exceptional circumstances of national importance.
(2) The Secretary of State has a duty to ensure that local planning authorities have sufficient resources to enable them to own, implement and defend neighbourhood development plans.
(3) If it is deemed necessary to override a neighbourhood development plan and require the provision of additional housing, the Secretary of State must—
(a) have regard to the policies of the neighbourhood development plan, in particular, policies on employment opportunities; and
(b) inform the local community of the number of houses and types of housing required.
(4) If a neighbourhood development plan has been overridden in accordance with subsection (3), it is the responsibility of the local planning authority, in consultation with the local community, to decide where it is most appropriate to provide the additional housing, and their decision must be accepted by the Secretary of State unless there are exceptional reasons of national importance not to do so.”