There is just one week left to
have your say on the government’s proposals to make major changes to planning
law that could put precious green spaces in Wirral West at risk.
The 'Planning for the future'
consultation closes at 11.45pm on Thursday 29th October. Make sure you have
your voice heard by contributing to the consultation via the following link:
www.gov.uk/government/consultations/planning-for-the-future
Under the proposals in the
consultation, new style local plans will divide land in England into three
zones: 'growth', 'renewal' or 'protection'.
While residents are consulted
on these zones during the development of a local plan, once it is completed,
local people will have very little say, and actually, in most cases, no say at
all, on what gets built in growth and renewal zones.
Protection zones, which will
include green belt land and conservation areas, will continue to be subject to
the current planning application process. However, it's important to note, that
even if an area is designated as ‘protected’, that does not necessarily mean
that there won’t be any development there – it just means there will be no
automatic planning permission.
I am deeply concerned that
these proposals will put precious green spaces here in Wirral West at risk.
Where a green space is in a 'growth' or 'renewal' zone, developers will, in the
vast majority of cases, be able to build on these areas without the opportunity
for local communities or elected councillors to object.
These proposals are a
developers' charter and remove the right of local people to challenge
inappropriate developments on their doorstep.
I would urge anyone who is
worried about what these plans will mean for their local area to respond to the
consultation.