Angela Rayner planning one other raid on communities to concrete over countryside | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Labour’s plan to concrete over the countryside provoked extra fury final night time after it emerged fewer folks would be capable of object.

Ministers might slash the variety of official our bodies that get a say in planning choices in a drive to chop crimson tape.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has mentioned reforms are wanted to make sure the system is “sensible and balanced” because the Government has pledged to construct 1.5 million houses this Parliament.

But the Tories warned they may “remove yet another safeguard and further undermine local voices”.

Shadow Business Secretary Kevin Hollinrake mentioned: “We built 1 million homes in the last parliament, taking local democratic consent into consideration. But these plans would rip all that up.

“Labour have already manipulated housing targets, shifting developments from urban centres to rural communities. These reforms will remove yet another safeguard and further undermine local voices.

“Under new leadership, the Conservatives would ensure homes are built in the right areas, whilst respecting the concerns of local people.”

One of the our bodies set to be faraway from the record has rejected the concept they’re an obstacle to progress.

Sport England have mentioned the aim of its remit within the planning system is to guard taking part in fields and different areas for bodily exercise.

“Britain’s childhood obesity crisis is rising and low physical activity levels cost our economy £7.4billion a year, making it vital we protect the places that local communities can be active,” a spokesman mentioned.

He mentioned it “looks forward” to collaborating within the session train and “arguing the importance of protecting playing fields and places where local people can keep active”.

The Theatres Trust has mentioned it’s “confident” it “proactively engages with all local planning authorities and developers and provides our advice in a timely and efficient manner”.

In a press release, chief govt officer Joshua McTaggart and chairman Dave Moutrey mentioned they “welcome the announcement of a review” however known as on the Government to “oversee a data-led and rigorous process that will ensure each of the individual 25 statutory consultees are considered on their own merit”.

Rejecting the concept they’re an infringement on progress, they mentioned: “While housebuilding is a necessary part of the country’s growth, we know this Government also understands that communities need to have access to culture, storytelling and educational opportunities.

“Theatres are a key supplier of this and theatres are what we endeavour to guard.”

Reforms set out on Monday will also state that councils should only be going to statutory consultees when it is necessary to do so, and decisions should not be delayed beyond the standard 21-day deadline.

Officials have also said the scope of other statutory consultees will be narrowed to focus in on heritage, safety and environmental protection.

Ms Rayner said: “We’ve put progress on the coronary heart of our plans as a Government, with our Plan for Change milestone to safe 1.5 million houses and unleash Britain’s potential to construct.

“We need to reform the system to ensure it is sensible and balanced, and does not create unintended delays – putting a hold on people’s lives and harming our efforts to build the homes people desperately need.

“New developments should nonetheless meet our excessive expectations to create the houses, amenities and infrastructure that communities want.”

Officials have mentioned issues encountered by housebuilders and planning authorities with regards to statutory consultees embody them taking too lengthy to supply their recommendation and submitting holding objections that are then later withdrawn.

In the final three years greater than 300 functions have been taken to the Secretary of State after disagreements from consultees, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government mentioned.

Officials have mentioned that statutory consultees have a task within the system to assist result in high-quality growth, however they’re reforming the system to scale back blockers.