PLANNING LAWS TO BE MORE PUBLICLY ACCOUNTABLE

An idea by - Tagged: , , , , , , - Discussion: Comment

The idea

To revert back to the Town & Country Planning Act which may need strengthening in places but fundamentally worked in allowing local participation and to scrap the existing planning laws which allow developers the right of appeal but not local people or communities.

To scrap the law that a local authority can be both a developer and planning authority at the same time as this is inherently biased in favour of development and does not allow any real democratic public process.

Why is it important?

The Planning laws have been changed several times over the last few years such that they almost completely do not address local democracy and are inherently unfair.

Developers have rights of appeal but local communities and inidivuals do not.  Further the introduction of the non elected IPC to decide on major infrasructure projects reduces local democracy even more and these decisions that affect people's lives go unchallenged.

People are powerless to do anything as they see their local environment disintegrate around them and their sense of place.

 

There is considerable imbalance between the interest of developers who can afford legal repressentation and local communities only have the option of judicial review if a planning decision goes ahead, which is unaffordable.

Share this idea

Related ideas

Comment on this idea

Good idea? Bad idea? Totally insane? Let us know your thoughts on this idea.