A high court decision that stalled housing growth in Stevenage could have been avoided under the Localism Act, according to lawyers.
Proposals for a major housing development were rejected as ‘unsound’ following a planning inspector’s decision that growth did not coincide with plans by neighbouring North Hertfordshire District Council.
UK law firm Bircham Dyson Bell LLP said that agreement between local authorities on new housing numbers is an example where Government expects them to co-operate with each other under the Localism Act.
Angus Walker, partner at Bircham Dyson Bell LLP, said: ‘Since the Localism Act received Royal Assent last month, local authorities have had an immediate duty to co-operate with each other on planning issues. So under the latest legislation, this case might have had a different outcome.
‘The duty would kick in when authorities were developing policies for development that affected infrastructure across local authority borders. For example, if the polices made by one authority would cause roads in the neighbouring authority to become clogged up, the two authorities now have a duty to co-operate to plan the issue together in the interests of the public generally.’
