Admire Conservative Richmond Council for deciding to
defy the coalition government’s policy relaxation of planning rules for
building extensions. The planning proposals will allow larger home and business
extensions without planning permission. Richmond is concerned with the ‘look’
of developments. I am more concerned with the eventual use of extensions. This
proposal could lead to even more sub-standard accommodation and cases of “beds
in sheds” because families are so desperate to find somewhere to live and
landlords reap the profit. Other planning changes proposed has been letting
developers create houses in multiple occupation without planning permission. In
Brent – and in Willesden Green - there are already too many planning breaches
so I hope the planning service will hold on to its influence on what is built. Another concern is the change to the powers of the Planning
Inspectorate to overrule projects blocked by councils. This would leave people helpless to stop
thousands of homes being built on their doorsteps. According to Sir
Merrick Cockell, chairman of the Local Government Association, this is a blow to local democracy, as
the Government is threatening to take power away from local communities and placing it in
the hands of a super quango”.
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