IN last week's Review Ralph Perry gives an excellent example of the corruption of government in this country brought about by the omission of democracy from the planning laws.
Planning applicants can always appeal against unwelcome planning refusals, but planning victims can never appeal against obnoxious planning consents. That is wrong. It is also wrong that the District Council should have to pay council tax money to the developer just because the inspector upheld the appeal. It should be the responsibility of the developer to pay the cost of the appeal because it is his appeal. It seems as though the developer faced with a refusal will always appeal because he knows the inspector will always uphold his appeal.
Perhaps the same inspector faces the same developer elsewhere in the country on a regular basis and they get to know each other. If the inspector feels he is unlikely ever to deal with the same local council again he can always make a gesture by raising two fingers and just let the local people like it or lump it. The Secretary of State is most unlikely ever to disagree with the inspector because it is easier to agree with his recommendations than have to take the trouble to delve into the issues involved.
Some years ago I wrote a letter to Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, in his capacity as the minister in charge of planning, wanting to know why a mobile phone mast had got planning permission in a place where the local people didn't want it, and asking him if he had every heard of democracy. The Forest MP, Diana Organ, handed the letter in and in due course I received a letter from Prescott's office written by a man called Hill. Part of his letter contained the following words: "Planning laws are not subject to the wishes of the people nor should they be" which clearly indicated they had indeed never heard of democracy. Here he was, either a Minister of the Crown or a Civil Servant, not only stating that the law prohibited the people from having any say in the matter, but that he agreed with it. That attitude is totally wrong. He should have apologised for the bad law, not simply repeated it.
At present, the local parish council may agree or disagree with a planning application. They cannot grant or refuse planning permission, they can only pass opinions. This is a direct breach of democracy. The parish council represent grass roots democracy because it is they who are nearest to the people. Therefore the law must be altered to give the parish council the power to say no – no ifs, not buts, no appeals, and therefore no development.
Then we will at last be rid of the present system under which the district council will grant planning permission to any developer for anything. They do this, not because the project is needed, nor because the scheme has any merit, but because they fear the cost of appeals. Planning laws are rotten to the core and need to be re-written from scratch. – Anthony Reeve, Littledean.