Planning changes come at a cost

If we take the planning White Paper, the most significant proposals involve the so-called Independent Planning Commission. The role of this commission will be to take a strategic ‘national interest’ view of matters. Of course, the devil will be in the detail of its remit: in doing its job, the commission will be constrained by the law under which it is set up. Environmental groups fear the commission will be playing with loaded dice in favour of big business and other economic interests.

It is clear that the main driver for these changes has been economic development and it will be interesting to see how these changes also fit in with the drive to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Increased economic development means more CO2. It always has and, unless there are commensurate technological developments, it always will.

One of the early projects that could profit from the new planning regime is the third runway at Heathrow. For Heathrow to maintain it position as the world’s leading international airport more runway capacity will be needed to allow for the increased numbers of aircraft arriving in London.

The Heathrow area is already near the limit of emissions so some major changes will be needed to allow for the increase in air pollution from the aircraft. Removing the odd large village or two might help, and relocating 10,000 people.

The industry with most to gain from the new planning regime is the energy supply industry. Most people fear that a nuclear power station will be dropped in their community. But this regime would also make it easier for wind farms and other large-scale renewable energy projects to take place.

For the construction industry and the people who work in it this is good news. The uncertainty arising from planning delays could be removed and work would be easier to schedule.

However, it does come at a cost. For a sizable minority of people this planning freedom will destroy communities and blight lives. The normal developer reaction is to try to put down the critics of these developments as selfish and only caring about their own interests.

The selecting of strategic sites for infrastructure developments if not already done will be an absorbing process. I doubt any will be in the constituencies of government ministers.

Administrative and economic convenience comes at a price and as we have seen over the last few years that price seems to be the erosion of civil liberties and trashing of democracy.