Daily Telegraph: "Hilary Benn: The Coalition have got it wrong over planning"

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By Hilary Benn, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government


"First, we had an enormous row over the new planning rules, with councils being told to get their local development plans in place within 12 months.

In areas where they haven’t managed to do this in time – even if this is because they’re still consulting with local residents or awaiting formal approval – developers are now able to appeal to the planning inspectorate to get their developments approved even though they haven’t gained local support; a recipe for conflict rather than consensus.

Then there was the revolt over extensions in back gardens, where the Prime Minister and the Communities Secretary lost both the plot and the support of a lot of their backbenchers. The very idea that large extensions could be put up without neighbours having the chance to object to the impact on their view, their light and their general amenity was always going to cause trouble."