Conservatives should reform planning for the right reasons

22 February 2010

If radical changes to the planning system are to deliver a more attractive environment and a successful democracy the Conservative Party's proposals should mark the start, rather than the end, of a detailed policy debate.

This is the Campaign to Protect Rural England's response to the Conservative Planning Green Paper published today (Monday).

The document sets out the Conservative Party's proposals to radically reshape the planning system with 'Open Source planning', which would see the establishment of a national planning framework within which local authorities develop local plans.

Fiona Howie, head of planning and regions, said:
'We welcome the aspiration to get more people involved in shaping the communities that they live in. The current planning system is by no means perfect but there are elements of it that we do not want to see lost in a hasty and sweeping reform. A national target on housing density, for example, will continue to be critical in preventing urban sprawl and protecting our countryside.'

'The paper states that the Conservatives want to see an upswing in development and construction but the planning system should not be seen simply as a tool for delivering economic growth. Planning is a major tool for achieving environmental objectives and improving quality of life. We need a balanced approach if we are to deliver attractive communities in which people want to live.'

Fiona Howie concluded:
'The planning system has been through two major reforms in the last decade. In refining their proposals the Conservatives should engage further with local people and stakeholders so that any new system does not cause more problems than it resolves.'

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