National Planning Policy Framework

Session A4 | Day 1, Tues 25 Oct, 16.15-17.30 | Exchange Auditorium, Ground Floor

The Government is currently reviewing national planning policy in England and proposes to replace the existing suite of planning policy statements with a new National Planning Policy Framework.  This session will explore the potential for policy consolidation, drawing on recent experiences in Scotland and Wales.

• Chair: Charles Anglin, RenewableUK
Panel Debate members:
• Emmalene Gottwald, WWF
• Marcus Trinick QC, Eversheds LLP
• Peter Fane, RICS East
• Hannah Brown, Department of Energy and Climate Change

Chair: Charles Anglin, Director of Communications, RenewableUK Charles Anglin joined RenewableUK (then known as BWEA) as the organisation’s first Communications Director in summer 2007 to relaunch the organisation’s campaigns function. Charles is a communications professional with over 15 years experience of having worked in house and in consultancy across a range of economic sectors including property, healthcare and retail as well as energy. In 2009 Charles managed the organisation's rebranding to RenewableUK and he now heads a busy team dealing with the media and public affairs, as well as relations with the devolved administrations in Belfast and Cardiff. A former local councillor and twice a Parliamentary candidate Charles has wide political and community experience having also served as a long standing school Governor, a local Hospital Trust Governor and Chair of an urban regeneration scheme.

Panel member: Marcus Trinick QC, Partner, Eversheds LLP and Chair of the RenewableUK Noise Working Group Marcus has specialised in Planning and Environmental Law since qualification in 1983. He has appeared as Advocate at about 420 public inquiries, including over 75 wind farm inquiries. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 2010. Marcus has advised on well over 350 onshore and 25 offshore wind energy projects in the UK and elsewhere since 1988. He is a Board member of RenewableUK. He is one of the authors of the BWEA Best Practice Guidelines for Wind Energy Development published in 1994, was a member and one of the authors of the Working Group which produced 'The Assessment and Rating of Noise from Wind Farms' in 1997, and advised the then DTI on the framework for consenting offshore wind projects in 1999.

Panel member: Emmalene Gottwald, Senior Planning Advisor, WWF-UK Emmalene joined WWF-UK in 2008 specifically to lead WWF’s engagement in reforms to the national planning system, including the Planning Act 2008 and National Policy Statements, the Localism Bill and the draft National Planning Policy Framework. Her work is focused on the integration of sustainability principles, conservation and climate change objectives, and the ecosystem-based approach into terrestrial and marine planning policy and legislation. Emmalene is an Australian qualified lawyer and, over the years, has built up considerable knowledge and practical experience in advising local authorities and government on spatial planning policy that delivers sustainable development.

Panel member: Peter Fane, Consultant on Public Policy, RICS East Peter Fane is principal consultant with Eurinco, advising land managers and professionals on European policy in rural development and renewable energy since 1998. He is a partner in Farm Renewable Energy Options, a consortium of agricultural consultancies. Previously he worked for the NFU, and was Director of the British Agricultural Bureau in Brussels. He was Deputy Chair of the Countryside Agency at the time of its abolition in 2006. Peter qualified as a surveyor in 1982 and is a former Director of the RICS Land Group. He is the author of RICS briefings on renewable energy and anaerobic digestion.

Panel member: Hannah Brown, Department of Energy and Climate Change More information to come.