Putting the planning cart before the horse

EVERYONE is in favour of reforming our planning system. The trouble is that we all seem to have diametrically opposed aims. Angela Rayner wants to be free to build 1.5 million houses almost anywhere she feels they’re needed; environmentalists, worried that Britain has lost more biodiversity than almost any other European nation, yearn to protect wild Britain more effectively; archaeologists and historians aim further to conserve Britain’s past; walkers and cyclists hope to open up more of the country-side; country people desire to preserve the landscapes they love; and homeowners and small businesses long to get the planners off their backs. No wonder that whenever previous Governments have gone in for planning reform, they’ve ended up pleasing nobody. Nevertheless, this Government is clearly determined to proceed with the Planning and…

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Country Life (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 19, 2025

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