The Communities and Local Government Parliamentary Select Committee has warned of a threat to town centre development in changing planning guidance in line with the Barker review.

Currently councils must carry out an assessment of the need for development and this forms a key part of the basis against which planning applications for development for town centre uses such as office, retail or leisure are considered. The developer must demonstrate that there is a need for further development in a particular area which is not being met by existing facilities. The ‘need’ test has been considered by many as a crucial element of the Government’s ‘town centre first’ approach to planning policy, and in particular as a bulwark against excessive or inappropriate out-of-town retail development.

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Replacing targets with entitlements to public services will make little difference on the frontline. This is a key finding from a poll of Publicnet Briefing readers. Creating entitlements for patients, parents, school leavers, young people and the unemployed is an essential part of the Building Britain’s Future initiative launched by the Prime Minister in June.

Read more on MOVING FROM TARGETS TO ENTITLEMENTS UNLIKELY TO DELIVER BETTER SERVICES SAYS POLL…

The Quality Framework implements the national strategy for quality improvement in health and social care and it outlines an ambitious future for primary and community care. It presents a vision for community care emphasising the key role in providing personal care, particularly for children and families, older people and carers, those requiring rehabilitative support or with complex care needs and those at the end of life. It also supports the drive for promoting health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities.

Read more on TRANSFORMING COMMUNITY SERVICES: QUALITY FRAMEWORK…