Planning reforms silence local communities

Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington, has condemned the Government’s latest planning reforms.

As Lib Dem spokesperson on Housing and Communities, he has warned that the changes represent a serious erosion of local democracy and sideline the voices of communities.

Under the new rules, local councillors will no longer have the final say on major housing developments of 150 homes or more.

Instead, if councillors wish to refuse an application with 150 homes or more, the decision can be taken out of local hands and referred directly to the Housing Secretary.

Gideon said: “Here in Taunton and Wellington people elect their local councillors to decide major developments and the way they will affect their town.

“Our area has accepted thousands of new homes with the local population going up a third more than the national average. But our natural environment and wildlife matters, while many more of those homes should be genuinely affordable to people who grew up here".

“Good planning decisions are community-led and built with the vital infrastructure communities need, including GPs, NHS dentists and schools. That requires local knowledge and democratic accountability, not orders from on high in Whitehall.

“If Ministers are serious about speeding up housebuilding, they should properly fund social housing and fix the chronic underfunding of council planning teams.”