Sunday Times 03.01.10

A POWERFUL coalition of some of Britain’s biggest property developers will launch this week to fight Tory party planning policies.

The group, called Growing Communities, claims Conservative plans to hand over more power to local councils for planning decisions risks local councillors deciding applications on the basis of “political whims” rather than merit.

Land Securities, Britain’s biggest listed property company, and Countryside Properties are two of the most high-profile members of the lobby group. They argue the Tories’ localism agenda may encourage nimbyism and stifle development.

Growing Communities has been formed in the run-up to the general election. It has commissioned an independent survey of 515 local councillors across England and Wales by ComRes, a research consultancy. It reveals that 57% of all councillors think current housing targets are too high. Just 14% said they were too low.

The councillors most opposed to housing developments were in the east of England — where 75% said targets were too high, followed by the southwest and southeast — areas where developers say new homes are most needed. Between 1997 and 2003 the amount of land being brought forward for development each year fell by 7%.

Growing Communities plans to meet Bob Neill, the shadow local government and planning minister to present the findings from the survey and relay its concerns.

Emma Cariaga, head of strategic projects at Land Securities, told The Sunday Times the group wanted a national planning framework that could inform local decision-making.

She added that there should be a presumption in favour of development built into the planning system. “We want applications to be treated fairly and judged on merit, not on the basis of instincts or political whims. Weakness in the planning system will threaten economic recovery,” she said.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/construction_and_property/article6973945.ece