Facebook  Twitter  Youtube  ISSUU RSS  Email

#TransparencyMatters

Councils, developers and secrecy in local planning

Jonathan

Surrey

Transparency matters. In corruption's secret handshake we need to consider the powerful hand that gives, as well as the hand that takes. While the latter benefits financially, the former retains power and control. Lack of transparency is the way the UK planning system works - Local Enterprise Partnerships, council leaders meetings, pre-application discussions - with planning meetings often representing a 'done-deal'. Planning policy guidance statement now only exist online and were produced in private. How are planning inspectors selected? Three developers drafted the UK's new National Planning Policy Framework as exposed by the Daily Telegraph and labelled as the 'developer's charter'.