Wednesday 19th
October 2011 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Government needs to
stick to its guns and carry out its intended reforms to the planning system,
says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in its response to the
Government’s consultation on the draft National Planning Policy Framework
(NPPF).
Brian Berry, Director of
External Affairs at the FMB, said:
“The Government’s planning
reform proposals strike the right balance between economic growth and environmental
protection. The presumption in favour of sustainable development is certainly
needed if Britain is to have the homes and infrastructure that it requires. It
has been unfortunate that the planning proposals have been subject to
scaremongering and misinformation which has not been helpful.”
Berry continued:
“Environmental protection
is essential to everyone’s quality of life, but it must also be accepted that
jobs and housing are too, and that the planning system has to deliver the
conditions to support all three. We urge the Government not to give into
pressure from the anti-development lobby and to continue its reforms of the
planning system.”
Berry concluded:
“Planning may not be the
main factor holding back house building at the moment but it certainly was in
the decade leading up to the credit crunch and it will be again when credit
flows return to normal unless we act now to get reforms in place. More detail
is still required to understand how the balance between development and
environmental protection will work in practice and this will require
constructive input from all sides.”
