Greens Say Planning Proposals Mean Less Democracy And More Dangerous Climate Change

21st May - Norfolk Green Party today condemned the Government's plans for reforming the planning system to speed up the building of major infrastructure projects, such as road schemes, airports and power stations. Norfolk Green Councillors said the reforms would mean that local communities would be consulted less about proposals that affect them, and could also lead to an increase in carbon emissions.

The Government's draft Planning White Paper, published today, contains proposals for the Government to set national strategic planning guidelines. This would mean that the Government would decide centrally what is in the national interest, and local communities would not be allowed to debate the need for road schemes or other projects when they come to public inquiry. The need for the scheme would already have been decided by Whitehall with no local input. Local authorities would be left to grant themselves planning permission for their own road schemes, despite what local people say, with the Government washing its hands of local road decisions, with no 'call-in' for public inquiry.

The Government also proposes to set up a new government appointed planning commission to make decisions on major infrastructure projects, raising concerns that it could be stuffed full of government "cronies".

The new proposals will affect major infrastructure projects such as new roads and airport expansion. The government has already approved over 200 road schemes totalling over £13 billion, and has plans for a massive expansion of airports. The planning proposals will make it easier for the government to push through these schemes, which will lead to higher carbon emissions.

Councillor Rupert Read, lead candidate for the Green Party for the next Euro-elections in Eastern Region, said:

"The government is bulldozing over local democracy with its Planning White Paper. The proposals will lead to more roads and airports when we should be doing all we can to tackle dangeorus climate change. The government is not interested in local opinion or in stopping cliamte chaos. The Planning White Paper will only serve New Labour's friends in the roads lobby, and the dangerously-burgeoning aviation industry. It is hard enough for local communities to stand up against road schemes, without the government making it even harder"