10 October 2011
Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, has pledged her support for the National Trust's 'Up for Grabs' campaign by signing a petition against sweeping reforms to the planning system.
The petition calls on the Coalition Government to withdraw and rethink its proposed National Planning Policy Framework which would introduce a presumption in favour of development on unprotected greenfield sites and allow financial considerations to dominate the planning system.
Commenting on her pledge, Caroline said:
'I share the National Trust's profound concerns about these proposals. Of course there is an urgent need to build more housing, but the main obstacle isn't the planning system, it's the lack of money - thanks in no small part to the Government's decision to cut the affordable housing budget by 60%.
'These alarming proposals, which include
scrapping the policy of building on Brownfield sites before Greenfield
sites and the duty to ensure that new developments minimise road
traffic, would give the green light to countless inappropriate schemes
in cherished lands
capes.
Caroline Lucas' backing comes at a critical moment in the National Trust's campaign with just over a week to go before the end of a public consultation on the new policy.
The move reflects mounting national and local concern about the impact of the planning reforms which were announced in July this year.
The National Trust wants the Coalition Government to:
- strike a better balance between economic, social and environmental considerations in the planning system
- abandon its principle of a default 'yes' to planning applications
- retain the 'brownfield first' approach to development
- ensure local plans are created by democratically elected and accountable representatives not businesses
To sign the National Trust's petition before the end of the public consultation on 17 October please visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/planning
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