Town Development. ……..

government guidance to councils

Tonker

How many folk on here are going to trawl through that document ?

I think this is one of the bits you are alluding to

"promote and support the development of under-utilised land and buildings, especially if this would help to meet identified needs for housing where land supply is constrained and available sites could be used more effectively (for example converting space above shops, and building on or above service yards, car parks, lock-ups and railway infrastructure)"

The question is frequently heard on here. “Why is Wigan council doing this / that / the other”? and, “Why do the councillors let them do this / that / the other”?

Well, that is what the government tells the council they must do.

Example: if a developer wants to develop, in Wigan borough, say, and the residents don’t like about it, so they tell the councillors to object at the planning meeting.
The councillors object, on behalf of their electorate.
The council refer the councillors to the government’s policy and tell the councillors they must agree to the permission, otherwise the developer will quote government policy at appeal, win, and cost the council a fortune.

But the councillors always get blamed.