News: July 2010

The Royal Town Planning Institute has responded to the announcement by Grant Shapps , housing minister, of the ‘Community Right to Build’, warning that the proposals will overturn the long established and key role of elected members and local authorities within the English planning system.

The 'Community Right to Build' will allow local people and communities across England to decide where to create new homes, shops, business and facilities where they want them and where they are needed, not where local councils and central government think they should be.

Housing minister Grant Shapps said: "Far from the Nimbyism that often hits the headlines, up and down the country there are entire communities willing and eager to give the go-ahead for new developments in their area. The countryside must be a vibrant place to live, and cannot be allowed to become a museum. I want to give communities the power to preserve their villages, which are currently struggling to survive because of a shortage of affordable homes."

Jamie Hodge, RTPI spokesperson said: “It is clearly vital that we look at innovative proposals to provide more much-needed affordable housing and other developments, especially in rural areas. However we believe that local plans, developed by elected members in partnership with local people and businesses are the most democratic way to deliver the aspirations of local communities for housing provision.

“Proper planning scrutiny has served us well whereas this proposal appears to disempower local authorities by removing their right to determine development proposals and may mean that new housing built as a result may conflict with existing wider community priorities, and will only have to meet nationally proscribed minimum standards, even if the local authority wishes to see higher design standards in its own area.”

www.communities.gov.uk