A NEW draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is too cautious for the needs of the rural economy in Yorkshire.

That is the criticism from the Easingwold office of the Country Landowners’ Association (CLA).

It describes the proposed draft, published by the NPPF Practitioners Advisory Group, as “a move in the right direction”, but claims that “it still does not fully support the need for a broader rural economy to enable people to work and live in the countryside”.

William Worsley, the CLA president and North Yorkshire landowner, said: “This draft planning policy is too cautious and must be expanded to fully support the needs of the rural economy. We need better-quality jobs so that people can afford to work and live in rural areas.

“Planning plays a huge role in encouraging sustainable economic development and this means national planning policy must encourage a broader, sustainable rural economy that goes further than just leisure and tourism.” Describing the draft framework on heritage as “a big step back” he said it contained no understanding “that heritage needs to be used, updated and viable.

“Policy needs to be proportionate as currently, even small changes are disproportionately difficult and costly.”