A Message from the Cheshire East Labour Group

The government is proposing to tear up the planning rules again. The last time this happened it led to a flood of speculative housing applications on greenfield sites in Cheshire East. There are widespread concerns that the same could happen again now if the government proposals are not stopped.

The plans would allow central government to impose housing targets on local authority areas, without transparency or any opportunity for local communities to have a say in what’s needed in their areas. In addition, in many cases automatic planning permissions would be granted, without the kind of scrutiny which people have come to expect. The plans would further erode public confidence in the way decisions are taken.

The proposed changes to the planning system are set out in two Government White Papers ‘Planning for the Future’ and ‘Changes to the Current Planning System’

Concerns can be summarised as follows:

1.    The plans will remove local accountability and undermine democracy by taking power away from local communities and decision makers – leaving it instead to an unaccountable algorithm. It is vital that decisions about the number and types of houses being built in our communities are taken locally, and that those responsible for decisions are accountable to residents.

2.    The proposals will make it easier for developers to circumvent affordable housing obligations due to the proposed exemption of developments under 50 dwellings from this requirement. We desperately need more genuinely affordable houses, not less.

3.    The proposals leave Cheshire East exposed to potential huge increases in developments and speculative housing applications. The current housing requirement in Cheshire East is calculated at 1,068. However, under the proposed algorithm this would jump 67% to 1,774.

The first white paper entitled ‘Changes to the Current Planning System’ - unveils plans for temporary relaxation of planning rules to boost housebuilding post-covid, including a dodgy algorithm which increases the Cheshire East housing requirement by 67%. The consultation closes on 1 October 2020 https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/changes-to-the-current-planning-system

The second white paper ‘Planning for the Future’ outlines plans for a wholesale change to the planning rules. This consultation closes on 29 October 2020 https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/planning-for-the-future

Carol Bulman, Labour Councillor for Middlewich said, “We accept that the current system is flawed, but the government proposals take us further away, not closer, to addressing flaws in the current system. The consequence of these changes will inevitably be to benefit the market and property speculators rather than our communities."

Rob Vernon, Labour Councillor for Broken Cross & Upton said, “The proposals for ‘Permission in Principle’, for delegating decisions to planning officers and for reducing the role of Local Plans all remove opportunities for local people to speak out. If the proposals go ahead then local people will have less say on planning applications; central government and housing developers will have far more power under the Conservative proposals.”