Planning Applications - use your rights

The planning application process is supposed to ensure that everyone has a fair opportunity to express their views alongside national, regional and local policy considerations. When development is proposed for housing, shops or new industry, the local council must decide whether or not the development should go ahead. To be involved in the future of your community, ensuring that the best possible development happens and not the worst, you have to be involved in the right way and at the right stage of planning applications.  Your voice needs to be heard just as loudly as the voice of the development industry. Councils are obliged to take your views into account. Local people have a wealth of knowledge and experience and can bring about better decisions on planning applications.

Excerpt from Friends Of  The Earth; http://foe.co.uk 

2 comments:

  1. "Councils are obliged to take your views into account."
    That is all very well but when they simply ignore the views expressed in local consultation, what value democracy?
    It is also surprising that Local Councillors do not reflect the views expressed by their constituents or parish councils.
    Just who do they represent?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree. Broadland District Council have lost sight of the fact that they are supposed to represent their resident's views. Far too often we hear them defend their actions by saying they are representing the silent majority. How on earth do they know what the silent majority actually want? Surely they should be listening to those who actually bother to let them know what their view are?

    The truth? They don't actually want to know what our views are, unless they match exactly what they are planning. How long can they keep hiding behind the silent majority to get their unwanted plans through?

    ReplyDelete