Planning for pollution control (PPS23) provides guidance on how major new systems for pollution control and the management of contaminated land should be taken into account when considering proposals for development.

A key requirement is that planners ensure developers have taken proper account of the potential for pollution and contaminated land and have reflected the results of those investigations in their proposals.

“This isn’t a ban on development. We need new homes, shops, schools, factories and waste facilities, and we need to make the maximum use of previously developed land. PPS23 helps ensure that all the relevant considerations to allow this to happen are properly taken into account in the planning process,” Minister Hill said.

The key policy aims of PPS23 are to facilitate planning for good quality, sustainable development that takes appropriate account of pollution control issues. Local planning authorities will need to have regard to the policies in preparing their local development documents, regional spatial strategies and individual proposals for development.

“New development of all kinds is needed, but we must ensure it does not add to pollution and that where emissions are unavoidable they do not harm local communities and the environment and can be properly monitored and controlled. And, in making the best possible use of previously developed land we need to ensure that any contamination remaining from past uses is effectively dealt with so that new uses can proceed safely,” Mr Hill said.

By David Hopkins

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