ABSTRACT
The benefits and drawbacks of a discretionary planning system which seeks to balance broad strategic certainty and local flexibility in decision-making were discussed in Chapter 7. Recent research into the delivery of affordable housing through planning has revealed a view, often held locally, that national policy is ‘deliberately ambiguous’, accentuating uncertainty for developers (Smith, 2002, p. 108). The concern of private housebuilders over the lack of predictability in the system is long established, and represents a particular source of frustration when commercial judgements need to be made. The desire to offer guidance rather than prescription, and hence leave the detail of decision-making or negotiation (in the case of planning obligations) with local government partially explains this apparent ambiguity. But there are also more fundamental factors at work.
