War of words in biggest planning shake-up for decades

Wed Mar 28 01:19:44 BST 2012

Planning reforms: applications will be 'slammed in' under new rules
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/hands-off-our-land/9168701/Planning-reforms-applications-will-be-slammed-in-under-new-rules.html

Battle for the countryside: War of words as 
biggest planning shake-up for decades is unveiled
By Jason Groves - PUBLISHED: 22:39, 27 March 2012 
| UPDATED: 23:59, 27 March 2012
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2121315/Battle-countryside-War-words-biggest-planning-shake-decades-unveiled.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Ministers stripped out 95 per cent of Britains 
impenetrable planning laws yesterday but 
immediately caused fears for the future of the countryside.
Planning Minister Greg Clark brushed aside 
opposition from conservation groups to signal the 
biggest shake-up in the planning system for decades.
He said the changes, which came into force 
immediately, would help provide the jobs and 
homes needed to get the economy moving again.
A series of concessions divided opponents of the changes yesterday.
Councils will be encouraged to bring brownfield 
sites back into use before giving permission to build on green fields.
They will also be expected to give priority to town centre sites.
And Mr Clark said the new planning regime would 
recognise the intrinsic value of the 
countryside, as well as strengthening 
protections for the Green Belt and national parks.
Councils have also been given a year to come up 
with detailed plans on where they want to see development.
But ministers have refused to back down over 
their controversial presumption in favour of 
sustainable development, which means planning 
applications will have to be approved unless they 
can be shown to be against the collective interest.
The National Trust, which led the opposition to 
the reforms, said the revised guidance had a 
better tone and balance than the original.
But Ruth Davis, from Greenpeace, said: The 
reforms were based on a flawed assumption... that 
we can boost the economy by uprooting decades of 
protection for the natural habitat and the 
countryside. This is misguided, dangerous and wrong.
The Woodland Trust said it was severely 
disappointed with the final document. Chief 
executive Sue Holden said: Ancient woodland 
remains significantly threatened under this new framework.
But business leaders welcomed the changes as a boost for the economy.
Experts claim the bureaucratic planning system 
costs the economy up to £3billion a year. Simon 
Walker, director general of the Institute of 
Directors, said: Being able to develop new 
shops, houses and factories is crucial to 
delivering economic growth, and too often 
planning regulations have prevented that. Britain 
needs to get building again, and these reforms 
allow that to happen  as long as they are followed through.
The radical changes replace more than 1,300 pages 
of complex planning guidance with a single 
streamlined document running to just 50 pages.
A string of top-down targets imposed by Labour 
have also been scrapped. Instead, ministers are 
now urging local communities to take 
responsibility for planning in their own areas.
Critics have warned that the move will lead to a 
string of court challenges as developers, 
conservation groups and local campaigners line up to test the new law.
Labour said the changes were a recipe for chaos 
and confusion. Shadow Communities Secretary 
Hilary Benn said: The Governments planning 
reforms could cause widespread delay and chaos 
with many developments held up while the courts 
decide how to interpret this radically new and untested approach.
This would both harm the house building we 
desperately need and put our countryside and 
green spaces at risk of unwanted development.
But Mr Clark insisted ministers had listened to 
the Governments critics, adding: The framework 
guarantees robust protections for our natural and 
historic environment, and goes further by 
requiring net improvements to put right some of 
the neglect that has been visited on us.
Campaigners fear the new planning rules could be 
a charter for wind farms. The guidelines spell 
out a 'presumption in favour of sustainable 
development', which includes a very strong emphasis on renewable energy
The provision was welcomed by green groups, but 
critics fear it could undermine fierce local opposition to wind turbines.
Tory MP David Davis said if councils designate 
certain areas for wind farms it could encourage 
speculative activity by developers. He said: 
The problem becomes sheer concentration in the 
areas where they are allowed. If a village raises 
money to get a lawyer and oppose a wind farm, and 
they fail, more companies come in and try.
Instead of one development a mile away, there 
are two or three or four 400ft monstrosities on 
your doorstep. Its like a new religion. They 
should be offshore where they dont bother anybody.
Tory MP Chris Heaton Harris, who wrote a letter 
to the Government on behalf of 105 MPs opposing 
wind farms, added: If councils get their local 
plans in order and quickly, they can make it very 
difficult for some wind farms to be built.
But without a strong local plan they are 
effectively left naked and in a very vulnerable 
state. The proof will be in the pudding.

Emacs!

Emacs!
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