An important role for CLOCS is representing our members where big decisions are being made that will affect our operating environment. This month we have responded to two major national consultations:
Planning for the future consultation – closed on 29th October 2020
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is consulting on a package of proposals for reform of the planning system in England – covering plan-making, development management development contributions, and other related policy proposals. The introduction of new primary and secondary legislation to give effect to the changes is likely to be in 2021.
“The Planning for the future consultation proposes reforms of the planning system to streamline and modernise the planning process, bring a new focus to design and sustainability, improve the system of developer contributions to infrastructure, and ensure more land is available for development.”
It is clear that the existing NPPF makes no mention of the construction process, and only barely touches upon transport issues. Therefore, CLOCS has responded with strong recommendations that safeguards are built into the emerging reforms to assure communities that they will not be adversely impacted during construction.
All CLOCS Champions were urged to respond individually and the CLOCS response is copied below:
Proposal 2: Development management policies established at national scale and an altered role for Local plans
Question 6. Do you agree with our proposals for streamlining the development management content of Local Plans, and setting out general development management policies nationally?
Yes.
Over 28,000 pedestrians, pedal cyclists and motorcyclists have been killed or injured in the last 5 years on Britain’s roads in collisions with vehicles commonly used in construction. Yet very few local authorities require mitigation measures to protect the community, with little consistency for those that do – delaying development submissions & approvals, dramatically increasing costs of mitigation measures, continuing risk to the community, and undermining the Government’s own drive for increased Active Travel.
Embedding core requirements for safe and efficient construction logistics in national policies (NPPF and DM) will provide consistency, efficiency and reduced costs across UK for all parties and ensure the safest, cleanest delivery of the housing, commercial, social infrastructure our country needs to thrive. Current NPPF and DM guides focus on the asset operation phase – the reformed planning guidance must protect our communities and the construction industry throughout all phases of the full asset lifecycle – during construction, asset operation and deconstruction for re-use.
Clear, consistent, fair and proportionate requirement of safe and efficient construction logistics in national policy, tailored to meet local circumstances in Local Plans, provide cost savings for all. A national policy would ‘level up’ requirements and encourage all those involved in developing construction projects – regulators, clients, principal contractors and fleet operators – to implement construction logistics plans on all projects above a risk-assessed threshold. Developers and planning authorities alike will recognise and respect the importance of CLPs to protect the communities, businesses, and the environment.
Construction Logistics and Community Safety (CLOCS) is the nationally recognised industry standard created by industry and national/regional/local government working together. It provides clear, simple and cost-efficient actions for all project partners understand, implement, measure and address safe and efficient construction logistics. CLOCS is explicitly supported by the Minister for Construction, BEIS and DfT, named in the 2018 Cycling & Walking Investment Strategy and recognised by progressive regional transport bodies as critical to protect and reassure Active Travellers.
We urge you to support industry commitment to delivering construction projects safely by including requirements for implementation of the CLOCS in national development management policies.
Highway Code:
In tandem members of the CLOCS Strategy, Standards and Governance Board prepared a CLOCS response that was reviewed by the Working Group and met with 88% approval. Our thanks to Richard Burnham, Terrawise, and Gordon Sutherland, Tideway, for leading on this important consultation.
The consultation closed on 27 October 2020 and the CLOCS team encouraged members to submit individually. The CLOCS response has now been submitted. Read a copy: Highway Code Consultation Response – CLOCS Response.pdf.
