Government presses ahead with business friendly planning white paper

The Government has published a Planning White Paper with a strong economic bias which countryside campaigners CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England) fear will make it quicker and easier to develop Major Infrastructure Projects, large supermarkets and housing estates on green field land.

CPRE will be working hard over the consultation period – which closes in less than three months – to get a stronger environmental emphasis into the final Planning Bill.

Marina Pacheco, CPRE’s Head of Planning said: ‘This Planning White Paper has the potential to radically change the character of the urban and rural environment by putting the needs of business first.

‘There are plenty of words in it about the environment, climate change and quality of life, but we question whether they are being given enough weight in what is proposed here.

Our key concerns on the Planning White Paper are:

1. Major Infrastructure Projects

Despite calls from a wide variety of conservation and civic charities for the Government to reconsider its proposals for speeding up the planning and building of major infrastructure – such as motorways, big power stations, runways, ports, waste incinerators and reservoirs – these proposals are going ahead without significant changes.

Marina Pacheco continues: ‘We fear the proposals for Major Infrastructure Projects will reduce the level of real community involvement in deciding what gets built in their local area. It has the potential to result in a ‘twin track’ approach where scheme promoters and large environmental organisations will engage in consultation but individuals and communities will find it difficult to have their voices heard.

‘CPRE is also worried that the proposed Independent Planning Commission’s membership will be strongly influenced by economics and won’t have enough people with a robust environmental background.’

2. Regeneration of our towns and cities – the ‘needs test’

The ‘needs test’ which has helped ensure the vitality of our towns and cities is to be replaced by a form of ‘impact assessment’ for local authorities to use when deciding on applications for developments such as large supermarkets. Unless correctly conceived this would make it easier to get planning permission for superstores which threaten smaller local stores and high streets.

3. Wildlife and Green Belt under threat

We welcome the Government’s assurances that the Green Belt is to be maintained and improvements encouraged. However Green Belt does remain under threat in several regional plans – Regional Spatial Strategies – across England.

Any further reforms to the recently reformed planning system must recognise the importance of a high-quality natural environment for business, for people and in it’s own right. It must not prioritised economic development over the quality of the landscapes and habitats on the urban fringe and the wider countryside.

Marina Pacheco concluded: ‘We believe the Planning White Paper should be seen as a work in progress. We hope therefore to be able to work with the Government over the coming weeks to prevent changes in the planning system which would lead to unsustainable development.’

CPRE is a member of a coalition of leading environmental and civic organisations which have come together to respond to the Planning White Paper.