Duty to cooperate throws up planning challenges

A local authority planning team is having to redouble its focus on the Localism Act's duty to cooperate, which it insists has turned the local planning agenda “on its head”.

Epping Forest District Council principal planning officer Amanda Thorn told Planning: “Duty to cooperate has turned planning on its head.

“It is one of the biggest considerations for us as a local authority preparing our local plan, but also for our neighbours. There's a strong onus on us to work together and cooperate wherever we can.

“In the past this was done by other bodies, but now it's up to us and this has given rise to the need to expand."

The council is seeking to recruit the senior planning officer to join its planning policy team.

“The council faces a number of challenges in preparing the new local plan for an area that is largely within London’s green belt, but has a high demand for new homes and jobs", Thorn said. 

Thorn added that Epping Forest and Harlow councils were working together on the possible recruitment of another planning post in the near future.

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