‘Take back control’ was a message that resonated with many people during the Brexit referendum, the fallout of which continues to fuel the public’s attitude to politics five years later.
The sense that many people hold of having lost the power to influence their lives, streets, and towns is clearly strong. Which is why it is so baffling that the Government seems so determined to take control away from people in the key area of planning.
“It is baffling that the Government seems so determined to take control away from the people in a key area of planning.”
The Queen’s Speech contained a second attempt by ministers to rip up our planning laws, just months after Tory rebels saw off a first attempt.
It is a complete disaster in the making – instead of communities ‘taking back control’, they are instead taking away the right of citizens and communities to have their say over development in their area.
Moving to zoning arrangements and automatic planning permission means fewer opportunities for local accountability and oversight. Communities and councils will find it much harder to make sure the right sort of homes are being built, and ripping up planning regulations will inevitably lead to poorer quality housing.
I hope that MPs of all parties who care about their communities having a say will unite to vote it down.On a different note, can I say a big thank you on behalf of LGA Labour to the councillors of all parties who were not re-elected in May, or who stood down. We wish you well for whatever comes next.