Planning reforms George Osborne says we are determined to win this battle
Post on: 2011-09-05 By: admin
A defiant George Osborne has insisted there will be no backdown to the
overhaul of planning laws, insisting that “no one should underestimate our
determination to win this battle”.
Millions of acres of undesignated countryside are being placed at riskPhoto: ALAMY
The Chancellor defended the controversial changes to planning reforms,
that campaigners claim will damage the countryside, as “key to our economic
Planning delays cost the economy up to £3bn a year and reform is "imperative"
to kick-start growth to Britain’s faltering economy.
Gaining planning permission in London’s West End was “twice as
expensive” than in Paris and 10 times more than in Brussels, he claimed.
intervention on the row with Eric Pickles, the Communities
Secretary, Mr Osborne vowed to defeat widespread opposition to the
controversial shake-up.
Ministers have been accused of attempting to rush through radical reforms to
planning laws that pose the greatest threat to the countryside since the
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Under the Coalition’s proposals, a “presumption in favour of sustainable
development” will replace the strict limits on building in rural areas that
have been in place since the 1940s.
Opponents believe large swathes of unprotected rural England will be opened up
to building projects after ministers told towns and villages that they had a
“responsibility” to accept new developments.
The legislation is still at the consultation stage and
The Daily Telegraph has launched the Hands Off Our Land campaign,
urging ministers to think again.
the Financial Times on Monday, the Cabinet ministers denied the
changes will place the countryside at risk.
“Planning reform is key to our economic recovery,” they wrote.
“Opponents claim, falsely, the government is putting the countryside in peril.
“We say that sticking with the old, failed planning system puts at risk young
people’s future prosperity and quality of life.”
They added: “No one should underestimate our determination to win this battle.
We will fight for jobs, prosperity and the right protection for our
“In a global economy, where skills and capital are more mobile than ever, our
planning system is a deterrent to international investment, and a barrier to
the expansion of home-grown enterprise.
“This is our opportunity to unlock the new investment and new jobs the country
needs. We cannot afford to miss it.”
Mr Pickles regards Britain’s complex planning system as one of the biggest on
Ministers believe planning delays hold back British companies, deter
international investment and place Britain at a disadvantage to other
"When planning acts as an arbitrary brake on growth, on the new jobs and new
businesses the country needs, reform is not optionalit is imperative,"
"Reforming a slow and inefficient planning system will be good news for the
small business looking to expand into new premises; for the young family
hoping for more affordable house prices."
Under the changes, Mr Pickles proposes cutting planning guidance from more
than 1,000 pages to fewer than 100, with a presumption in favour of
sustainable development.
"The idea that presumption in favour means that growth will be able to
take place wherever, whenever and however is false,” they added.
But conservationists and campaigners say the Coalition’s controversial changes
will have a "devastating effect" on historic buildings and sites.
At the weekend English Heritage said it fears proposed changes to the planning
regulations will result in Britain's rich historic environment being harmed
by allowing building and development to take place on heritage sites with "no
or little justification required".
The warning from the government body charged with protecting the country's
heritage comes as the National Trust hit back at "rock-throwing"
ministers after they described the organisation as "nihilistic"
and "semihysterical" for leading a campaign against the reforms.
Meanwhile, the Woodland Trust, which campaigns to preserve what is left of the
country’s historic woods, holds fears that vast areas of ancient woodland
could be lost if the Coalition’s planning reforms become law.
It said the proposals aimed at simplifying planning regulations will lead to
thousands of trees being chopped down to make way for developers.
On Sunday, David Cameron, said planning reform would be a central part of a
growth plan to be announced by Mr Osborne and Vince Cable, business
secretary, later in the autumn.
“My order in Whitehall this autumn is to think even more boldly about what we
can do to put the turbo-boosters on the British economy,” the Prime Minister
“Nothing should be taboo. If that means taking on the lobby groups that
are defending every last bit of the regulation that crushes businesses then
On Saturday from Greg Clark, the Planning minister, said he was prepared to
sit down and discuss the demands of the National Trust and other groups.
He conceded he was ready to discuss opponents' views with them, though he also
warned there would be no backing down on the overall thrust of the proposals
to simplify English planning laws in an attempt to trigger growth.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/countryside/8741311/Planning-reforms-George-Osborne-says-we-are-determined-to-win-this-battle.html
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