The whole planning system is broken and failing to act in local interests. This week, the distant and far away Planning Inspectorate have trampled all over local wishes and granted planning permission for 90 homes in Marsh Gibbon. Equally, the other week a local council planning committee made a really bad decision to grant permission for a similar number of units in Ickford. It’s just wrong - it’s against residents wishes, trashing our countryside and undermining food security.
So, what is behind this? All paths lead back to the Government - who are essentially saying to councils that they must grant planning permission and if they don’t, they will have their planning powers taken off them and decided centrally anyway.
So, what is the point - essentially the Government have rigged it to get their own way whatever. This is even more perverse when the new Prime Minister literally defines himself on the devolution of power. Decisions should be local; taken as close to people they affect as possible. What we have on planning is the exact opposite - government rules that stick to fingers up to local wishes. It’s got to change.
