One of the government's latest planning policies, PPS3, which is aimed at making the system more market responsive, has drawn a mixed reaction from the industry. Consultation on the draft policy closes tomorrow, and housebuilders debated the issues with government at the Housebuilding 2005 exhibition. "It's all about proactive planning," said Kerry Higgins of the ODPM. "We're getting the system to take account of market evidence. We're addressing the current implementation gap in terms of delivery and getting plans to be more responsive to local circumstances." Higgins added: "we want to see partnerships between local authorities abd stakeholders, especially developers who have expertise in certain areas." But the government's approach was challenged by Bovis Homes' Bob Rivers, who questioned the potential effectiveness of the policy. "The consultation paper doesn't include a stick to beat local authorities that do not play ball with the system," he argued. "It requires and awful lots of co-operation between local authorities and developers. "Will the government be able to impose its will on local authorities?"