Government Consultation on Reform of Planning Committees

The Battersea Society strongly opposes the Government’s proposals, which would forbid planning committees from considering any planning application that the Government defines as ‘minor’ or ‘technical in nature’. Most such developments are already determined by officers under local schemes of delegation. But the Government’s proposals will allow for no exceptions. Even where small developments raise important issues relating to listed buildings or parks, or harm to conservation areas (which are not even mentioned in the proposals), decisions will be made in private by officers, rather than in public by elected councillors.

The proposals amount to, and will be seen as, an attack on local democracy, and on the rights of residents and councillors.. The net effect will be to reduce their ability to engage in matters that significantly affect them and the communities in which they live. If a resident approaches a councillor about an individual planning application defined by the Government as minor, s/he will have to respond that s/he cannot help in any way. Trust in local government and local democracy will be significantly damaged.

You can read the Society’s full response to the consultation here.