Responding to the Government consultation on the changes to planning committees, Cllr Carl Cashman, Vice Chair of the LGA’s Inclusive Growth Committee, said: “While we broadly support the Government’s intention to streamline and speed up the planning system, we are concerned these proposals risk eroding the core democratic mandate of planning committees and stop councils from responding properly to local circumstances.
“Councils need to be able to make arrangements that suit their needs – from deciding the size of planning committees, to when a development needs to be called in, to avoiding bottlenecks. These decisions are best when done at the local level.
“For these changes to successfully improve the planning system and deliver homes and infrastructure we need, local government’s views must be central. We urge Government to address our concerns and work closely with councils to achieve the best outcomes.”
ENDS