That is why I believe planning for the future of our communities is one of the most important issues facing us all. And why it is too vital to be left to chance or the old ways of doing things. For too long we have been stuck in a 'predict and provide' approach to meeting demand for new homes. This Government intends to break that mould and this document sets out the framework for how we intend to do it. We want to bring greater local flexibility to adjust local plans and not simply impose rigid figures from Whitehall.
Planning is about more than statistics.
It's about people. Local people living in local communities. That is why I want to give more responsibility to Regional Planning Conferences to decide how best to meet their own housing needs. I want to decentralise decision making and bring it closer to the people, where it counts. The prize is the renaissance of our towns and cities and the protection of our countryside.