The Memorandum submitted by Friends of the Earth (FOE) under the House of Commons Public Bill Committee scrutiny of the Growth and Infrastructure Bill has been published, highlighting FOE’s concerns over proposals regarding centralization; planning purpose and public participation.
FOE writes:
Friends of the Earth have identified three key issues in response to the Bill and latest round of planning reforms:
- Centralising: The Bill has the effect of shifting powers to the centre of Government through bypassing Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) as the first decision maker in planning applications. The addition of ‘business and commercial’ projects to the 2008 Planning Act projects which can be dealt with by the Secretary of State (SoS) through the major infrastructure regime, also effectively bypasses LPAs. Note that alongside the Bill, the SOS’s written statement (6th September) also mentioned the expansion of call-ins.
- Purpose of planning: The planning system should be focussed on delivering sustainable development in the public interest. Picking on affordable housing requirements through legislative measures seems to undermine this purpose as it does not fit with the UK Sustainable Development Principles as referenced in the NPPF (2012) particularly ‘ensuring a strong, healthy and just society’. There is also no strengthening of the climate change provisions in relation to planning which are needed to create a step change in action.
- Public participation: It is vital that communities have their say and know that their input is valued, helping to shape outcomes. There are no measures in this Bill which redress the inequality between developers who can appeal in specific circumstances and communities, who have no right of appeal. It is also unclear how the public will be able to participate in decisions that are ‘centralised’ under the first measure in the Bill.
For FoE evidence see: LINK
For key Bill links see: LINK
