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" The Communities Secretary warned that he would strip individual local authorities of responsibility for planning if ministers thought they were unduly slow in approving developments or made the wrong decisions.
"Applications would then be decided instead by the Planning Inspectorate, which answers to ministers.
"... Ministers want to make it harder for residents to object to new developments. Councils are also being encouraged to allow building on green belt land."
"Sketch: Eric Pickles leads the conservatory party"
" 'The Right Honourable Gentleman is a millionaire and an aristocrat,' said Mr Pickles dryly, to Hilary Benn, 'so he’s probably not used to measuring land other than in terms of acres. But speaking as a working-class lad who is proud to own a detached house, and whose garden is smaller than the Right Honourable Gentleman’s croquet lawn…'
"No, it’s not a sight you often see: a Conservative minister taunting his Labour counterpart for being a rich, posh land-owner. Remarkably, another Yorkshire Tory, Andrew Percy (MP for Brigg and Goole), got in on the act, announcing that he’d just got a conservatory 'for my two-up, two-down terrace. Sadly I can’t afford it.'
"Mr Pickles peered at him sternly. 'I hope my Honourable Friend isn’t trying to outdo me as working-class hero.' It felt like Monty Python’s “Four Yorkshiremen” sketch, except that there were just the two of them. Still, that’s the cuts for you.
"Nick Raynsford, who was Minister for Housing and Planning under Tony Blair, mocked the Coalition’s idea. Big mistake. 'He,' cried Mr Pickles, 'represented the heavy hand of centralism! Whereas I represent… muscular liberalism'!"
Left Foot Forward:
"While the government are blaming everybody but themselves, Londoners are suffering"
by Nicky Gavron, London Assembly Member
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"Londoners are suffering as the government blames everybody else for their economic mess. The economy is not flat-lining because of the planning system or Section 106 agreements for much needed affordable housing, it is flat-lining because of the lack of confidence and demand, caused by the government’s failing economic plan.
"In London alone, there are 93,000 houses with planning permission which haven’t been started or been stalled by developers, although the real figure will be much higher."
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