The Liberal Democrats have threatened to delay the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill in the House of Lords if the government doesn't back down on the transfer of planning powers to unelected regional bodies.
Matthew Green, the Lib Dem's shadow minister for the ODPM, said: "This is a line in the sand for us. The way the bill is constituted takes planning responsibility away from democratically accountable bodies. It's not acceptable."

The Conservatives have already made their opposition to the bill clear, so without Lib Dem support the government will face a fight – Conservatives outnumber Labour in the Lords 210 to 185, with 64 Lib Dems making up the balance.

The bill had its last committee stage hearing in the Commons last Thursday. Carried over from the last parliamentary session, the bill is already delayed and not scheduled to reach the Lords until January. An uncooperative House of Lords could lead to compromise on some details.

The bill proposes to replace the current regional planning guidance with a spatial strategy, developed not by the county or unitary council, but by the regional assembly.

The Conservatives have expressed concerns that the bill will increase complexity.

n The Countryside Agency is urging council planners to inform locals of their long-term vision for particular areas to prevent "nimbyism". The agency believes concept statements disclosing what kind of development is intended for an area would involve residents at an earlier stage.

Source

Housing Today