If you agree with Mebyon Kernow that the Government's proposed planning changes will be bad news for Cornwall, please find the time to send a representation to the consultation.
The consultation on the “Planning for the Future” White Paper ends at 11.45pm on 29th October and comments can be sent to planningforthefuture@communities.gov.uk.
Please also send your comments to your local MP and the email addresses for Cornwall’s MPs are as follows:
Steve Double MP (St Austell and Newquay)
George Eustice MP (Camborne and Redruth)
Cherilyn Mackrory MP (Truro and Falmouth)
Scott Mann MP (North Cornwall)
Sheryll Murray MP (South East Cornwall)
Derek Thomas MP (St Ives)
A SUGGESTED LETTER?
Please see below some text would could form the basis of a letter.
OBJECTION TO “PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE” WHITE PAPER
I wish to strongly object to the Planning White Paper. I believe it will be a disaster for Cornwall. It dismantles the existing system and hands power over to developers; it further centralises authority in Whitehall and will lead to a truly unsustainable level of housing growth, with an associated adverse impact on our environment and our public services.
The imposition of a top-down “standard method for establishing housing requirement figures” would be particularly disastrous for the Cornish countryside and many of our local communities.
I am shocked that the UK Government has come up with a formula that would expect over 4,000 new properties to be built in Cornwall each year. Cornwall’s Local Plan already has a high housing target of 52,500 new housing units over a twenty-year period. I consider it ridiculous and unsustainable for this to be increased to more than 81,000 dwellings.
Proposals in the White Paper seem set to centralise the planning process in Whitehall and take decision-making powers away from councils. I see that it states key “development management” policies will be “established at national scale,” and it is clear the policy development capabilities of local authorities will be greatly reduced. Clearly, democratic aspects of the planning process will be undermined.
I am also disturbed that there is an expectation that the whole of Cornwall is to be zoned, and that all land in “growth areas … would automatically be granted outline planning permission for the principle of development” while there would be even be “automatic approvals” for certain “pre-established development types” in other areas.
Many local communities have worked hard to produce Neighbourhood Plans, which will be left worthless by these planning changes, which is shameful.
In addition, the changes would make it much harder for residents to make meaningful representations on developments proposals in their areas.
Please think again about your planning changes.
It remains my view that all decisions about planning should be made in Cornwall and this should involve the production in Cornwall of a National Planning Policy Framework for Cornwall.
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