Conservative Leader Councillor Mark Weston has tabled a resolution at this month’s Full Council (Tuesday, 9th September) on the Government’s proposed controversial new planning laws.
The Planning & Infrastructure Bill is at the Committee stage in the House of Lords and aims to overhaul rules and regulations to deliver 1.5 million homes by the end of this Parliament; speed up completion of 150 key infrastructure projects; create a Nature Restoration Fund; and streamline major approval processes.
However, this legislation has attracted many significant criticisms. These include concern over moves which weaken environmental protection; a reduction in local democratic accountability by limiting a statutory right to consult; introducing restrictions on the ability of councillors to call-in contentious planning applications; and further centralisation of decision-making especially over large housing developments.
Now, Bristol Conservatives have secured the ‘silver’ motion slot at next week’s meeting. This urges the Green-led Administration to lobby the city’s Labour and Green MPs to support amendments which address the worst aspects of the draft statutory provisions.
Cllr Weston (Henbury & Brentry) said: “The line-by-line legislative phase in the Lords still provides MPs with an opportunity to rethink and amend the most controversial aspects of this planning overhaul.
“Our main objections centre on the weakening of environmental protections and an erosion of the role of elected Members in determining applications and to provide local people with an opportunity to shape developments in their community.
“The centralising aspects of the proposed reforms are also troubling. Many will remember here the very unpopular imposition of regional housing targets under the last Labour Government.
“We believe that any reduction in democratic oversight and decision-making needs to be strenuously opposed and reconsidered.
“Consequently, I hope our motion will command all-party support and that this position is then endorsed by Bristol’s Parliamentarians before the bill becomes law.”
