Background
5.The aim of the Act is to give effect to the Government’s policy on the reform of the planning system, the principal features of which were set out in the policy statement Sustainable Communities – Delivering through Planning which was published in July 2002. That paper took forward proposals that were outlined in the Green Paper Planning: Delivering a Fundamental Change, published in December 2001. The policy on reform of the compulsory purchase system was set out in the Green Paper daughter document Compulsory Purchase and Compensation: delivering a fundamental change published in December 2001 and confirmed in the policy statement Compulsory Purchase Powers, Procedures and Compensation: the way forward published in July 2002.
6.In relation to Wales, planning is an area in respect of which functions are devolved to the National Assembly for Wales. The Assembly Government published its own consultation paper: Planning Delivering for Wales in January 2002. The Act gives effect to the Assembly Government’s policy, formulated in the light of responses to the consultation document, as announced by the Assembly Minister for Environment in November 2002.