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Lunch Seminar with Chris Martin, Director of Planning at the Yorkshire & Humberside Regional Assembly and Fabian Hamilton MP
Tuesday 27 January 2004
Following on from the successful Manchester breakfast seminar held in early December, Green Issues is hosting a planning seminar for the development industry, focusing on the wider politics of development and those issues specific to the north of the country. The event is being held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Leeds, on Friday 27 February.
This seminar features two distinguished guest speakers from the region: Chris Martin, Planning Director for the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Assembly and Fabian Hamilton, MP for Leeds North East. Green Issues Managing Director Tom Curtin will present a new and successful approach on winning support for, and accelerating, major construction and housing-related projects through the planning system.
The seminar starts at 11.30am and a few places are still available. If you would like to attend, please contact Lisa Turner on 0161 209 3850 or email lisat@greenissues.com.
Lords vote to keep County Council strategic planning role
The Planning & Compulsory Purchase Bill has been amended yet again. In the first two days of what looks to be a protracted committee stage in the House of Lords, Opposition peers won a vote to prevent unelected regional assemblies taking over the strategic planning powers currently undertaken through the Structure Plan process. This came on top of significant Government concessions to enshrine a continuing role for county councils.
The House of Lords' first vote, won 158-137, carried a Liberal Democrat amendment to the Planning Bill that will allow county councils to continue making strategic planning decisions. The amendment stated that the proposed new regional tier of spatial planning should only come into force when elected regional assemblies are in place, and received much support from sections of the Lords representing local government.
While the Conservatives and Lib Dems are hailing the vote as 'a real victory for local democracy', Government sources see the amendment as essentially a 'wrecking amendment'. Speaking the day after the vote, junior Minister Yvette Cooper MP said it was 'unsustainable' and would not lead to any compromise by the Government.
The timing for the enactment of the new legislation is now in question. The Bill was supposed to come into force this summer; however, it is quite possible that this could be further delayed if both sides hold their position.
Bill Bradshaw, an Oxfordshire county councillor who sits in the House of Lords as Lord Bradshaw, said in the debate:
"County councillors represent and serve people, and reflect their views in the council chamber.
"Taking those decisions away from the county will leave local people alienated and disaffected because they will see results and decisions being imposed on them by an unelected regional assembly to which, in most cases, they have no sense of belonging."
Communities Plan boards to be local - just
The first of the local 'Partnership Committees' to deliver the schemes under the Communities Plan has been announced by ODPM. The committee for Milton Keynes has been shaped to be based around local communities, but with a strong influence from local business and English Partnerships.
The role of the Milton Keynes Partnership Committee is to set the strategic vision for Milton Keynes and take the decisions required to deliver that vision. This committee needs to be representative of the local stakeholders and partners and to ensure that it operates as a focused and effective organisation. It will probably consist of ten members including the following:
Two independent private sector appointments with appropriate property, infrastructure, economic and planning/design backgrounds. One of these will be the chairman of the organisation who should have a connection to the growth area;
Two English Partnerships Board members;
Three Milton Keynes Council members, including two from the majority party and one from the opposition party, or in the event of there being no overall majority, three representatives, one from each of the main parties; and
three Local Strategic Partnership members (one each from the Chamber of Commerce, the Health and the Community Sectors).
Hill consults on wider public consultation in planning
Planning Minister Keith Hill is asking the public to if they want a greater say in the planning issues which affect their community.
The Minister issued a new consultation document proposing possible changes to the planning appeal process. The changes offer interested parties a greater role in the appeals process and therefore increase the influence they have over the decision made on a particular development.
Keith Hill said:
"People have a right to be involved in planning decisions which affect their communities. Whether it's an appeal on a factory, a shopping centre or a new housing development, the local community must have its say.
"We're keen to hear what planning professionals think of these changes, but we're also keen to hear from people who've been affected by planning decisions. This is your chance to tell us what you think."
The consultation follows a review of the current rules and regulations with key stakeholders. The proposed changes are out for consultation until 14 April 2004.
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