Under the plan-led system, it has been rare to see refusals of otherwise acceptable schemes on the grounds that they would prejudge the outcome of the plan-making process. The courts have historically made clear that plan preparation cannot be a rubber-stamp reason for refusal.
The NPPF addresses the weight to be given to emerging plan policies, but says nothing about prematurity. The government’s January 2005 guidance note The Planning System: General Principles, which survived publication of the NPPF last March, advises that refusal on prematurity grounds is “seldom justified” where a local plan is at the consultation stage and has no early prospect of submission for examination, recognising that the resultant delay in determining use of the land would be unacceptable.
Policy on prematurity concerns the crucial balance between planning and delivery. A loose application of prematurity objections flies in the face of the General Principles and the urgency injected by both the NPPF and the Planning for Growth agenda. The 2005 statement still sets the bar high for those seeking to postpone growth until another day.
