Cllr John Moss says developers and communities should negotiate directly - planning officers get in the way
A return to respect for private property rights in the Planning system might satisfy developers and objectors alike.
Here’s a thing. Your local Council grant planning consent for a development which immediately adjoins your property. You objected, because you didn’t think the developer was taking your concerns seriously, but the Planning Committee weighed the evidence and granted consent anyway. You get no compensation. The buildings are built and you feel like your home has been violated.
Sound familiar? I’m sure councillors get stories like this all the time. I’ve had cases where extensions were built under Permitted Development which blocked the only direct sunlight somebody got on to their patio and seen a consent granted based on incorrect plans, which were never checked on site by the planning officer. Legislation exempts councils from any claim for compensation in such circumstances and as consent exists, homeowners can do nothing but suffer the consequences.
Continue reading "Nationalisation of the planning system has failed" »