White Paper Motion (in the name of Councillor P Gruen) - Planning Permissions
This Council believes that decisions regarding development should reflect the aspirations, policies and ambitions of this city and the views of local people. Council therefore believes that locally elected representatives rather than national government are best placed to make decisions about the sustainability of proposed developments.
This Council expresses particular concern about the proposals to allow some rear garden extensions to go ahead without planning permission for a 3 year period andcommits, once the precise details of the Government's proposals are clear, to explore the feasibility, costs and benefits of using article 4 powers to ensure that planning permission will continue to be required for those extensions in Leeds which have significant implications for neighbours and local areas.
In order to ensure strong decision making and democratic accountability locally this Council also opposes the proposals to:
· Give the Planning Inspectorate additional powers so that local agreements between Councils and developers about affordable housing allocations could be overridden;
· Allow developers to immediately appeal to the Planning Inspectorate when they disagree with local agreements regarding the allocation of affordable housing in their applications;
· Take planning powers away from local authorities in instances where The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government regards the decision to be ‘nationally significant’ or if decision making is seen to be too slow.
Council requests that the Chief Executive writes to The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and all local MPs outlining Council’s opposition to the plans.
P GRUEN
Minutes:
It was moved by Councillor P Gruen, seconded by Councillor A Carter and
RESOLVED – That this Council believes that decisions regarding development should reflect the aspirations, policies and ambitions of this city and the views of local people. Council therefore believes that locally elected representatives rather than national government are best placed to make decisions about the sustainability of proposed developments.
This Council expresses particular concern about the proposals to allow some rear garden extensions to go ahead without planning permission for a 3 year period and commits, once the precise details of the Government's proposals are clear, to explore the feasibility, costs and benefits of using article 4 powers to ensure that planning permission will continue to be required for those extensions in Leeds which have significant implications for neighbours and local areas.
In order to ensure strong decision making and democratic accountability locally this Council also opposes the proposals to:-
· Give the Planning Inspectorate additional powers so that local agreements between Councils and developers about affordable housing allocations could be overridden;
· Allow developers to immediately appeal to the Planning Inspectorate when they disagree with local agreements regarding the allocation of affordable housing in their applications;
· Take planning powers away from local authorities in instances where The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government regards the decision to be ‘nationally significant’ or if decision making is seen to be too slow.
Council requests that the Chief Executive writes to The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and all local MPs outlining Council’s opposition to the plans.