Keep planning decisions local say TH Libdems!

6.21.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 13th Dec 2007

Local people should be involved in decisions to build significant developments where they live.

Tower Hamlets Liberal Democrats today expressed concern over the government's proposals to change the planning system for significant developments. The government's Bill in parliament, if enacted, will take decisions away from local people and Councillors and give planning powers to a quango. This will make it more difficult for residents to express their opposition to planning applications in their area.

We recognise that there is a need to improve the way large planning applications are dealt with. The present system is not satisfactory, but we do not believe that the Planning Bill provides the answers. In broad terms the Bill establishes: a quango called the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) which would take responsibility for considering planning applications of a nationally significant nature; National Policy Statements which will set the framework for decisions by the IPC, and the Community Infrastructure Levy which aims to cover the costs incurred in providing infrastructure to support development.

Leader of Tower Hamlets Liberal Democrats, Cllr Stephanie Eaton commented "We are very concerned that the Bill will stop local communities challenging major projects and raising legitimate concerns. The way critical responses to the White Paper have been largely discounted is a worrying indicator of how the quango would deal with local communities."

We want the government to consider very carefully how the parliamentary scrutiny of the National Policy Statements (NPS) is to be conducted, the extent to which the NPS will be subject to a full environmental assessment and the circumstances in which the Secretary of State will be able to intervene. We will oppose any moves to water down any existing planning policies or guidelines as they apply to, for instance, playing fields and open space.

We want to ensure that the level of financial support given to Planning Aid, which provides free advice to communities on planning matters, is sufficient to enable them to support any communities struggling to make their voices heard either with developers or with the IPC.

Councillor Eaton concluded "We are pleased that our Liberal Democrat colleagues in parliament voted against this Bill when it was considered in principle at Second Reading. Large infrastructure developments such as waste incinerators, prisons, power stations, large transport hubs require more community engagement rather than less. The Bill should be amended to ensure there is more support for local people to comment on and, where necessary, to oppose developments."