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Downtown warns on Tory planning proposal

Private Sector lobby group Downtown in Business has backed a national campaign opposing the Conservative Party’s proposed planning policies.

The Tories have suggested that they want to hand over more power to local councils for planning decisions – a proposal that Downtown chairman Frank McKenna has described as “potentially disastrous”.

Downtown, which began in Liverpool and has since launched in Preston, Lancaster and Manchester, includes a significant number of members from the property sector.

McKenna said, “I’m afraid that councils, and council members in particular, have great difficulty in viewing planning applications objectively.

“The fact is that a councillor’s first priority is often to get re-elected, and therefore if a planning application is considered unpopular in key electoral seats, however compelling, it will be rejected by elected members. Political whims and parochialism take precedent over the merits of any proposed scheme.

“What we need is less political influence over planning issues, not more. Councillors should be consulted in the planning process, enabling them to transparently argue against applications where their constituents are in opposition.

“However, the final outcome ought to be delegated to a panel consisting of independent experts who can, genuinely, come to a fair conclusion.”

McKenna added that he was concerned the proposal would lead to an increase in costs to both developers and local authorities, as appeal after appeal is lodged against negative planning decisions.

He continued, “With a few notable exceptions, councils do not have the capacity to take on the additional responsibilities the Conservatives are proposing. The idea of Liverpool’s planners being given additional powers is, quite frankly, frightening.”

The Downtown chairman urged David Cameron and his team to think again. He said, “A national campaign, ‘Building Futures’, has been launched, with some of the property sector’s biggest players’ backing. It articulates the same concerns as I have. Let’s hope the Conservatives listen.”