Once again the Labour in Wales Welsh Government has missed a real
opportunity to actually deliver a modern planning system to meet the needs of
the people of Wales in the 21st century. Our planning system is in need of root
and branch reform so simply tinkering with the existing out-dated legislation
as suggested the Welsh Government White Paper on Planning simply won’t do.
Our planning system,
along with our pretty much nineteenth century local government setup is not
designed to coexist with devolution or for that matter fit to deliver planning
decisions with real and lasting benefits for local people and local communities.
There is a real need for root and
branch reform and reorganisation of our planning system; the Welsh Government’s
decision to simply tinker and tweak with existing out-dated legislation in its
White Paper on Planning (which was released on 4th December) is disappointing
to say the least.
Our current planning system is too focussed
railroading through large housing developments that bring little benefits for
local people and local communities. We need a fundamental change in planning
culture to encourage appropriate and sustainable development which is based on
good design and actively promotes energy efficiency and good environmental
standards.
An opportunity to address the shortage of
affordable housing, to encourage more small-scale renewable energy projects,
and to actively support small businesses in relation to the Planning Bill has
been missed. It is time to start the
process of actually addressing the flawed LDP (Local Development Plan) and UDP (Unitary Development Plan) system
which does not deliver for local communities and fails to serve our national
interests.
Our planning system and planning processes are too slow, too bureaucratic
and too unresponsive to local needs and local opinions. The current system is
based on the post-war Town and Country Planning Act from 1947 and is simply
out-dated; our country needs a modern planning system that meets the needs of
modern Welsh society. In line with the realities of devolution our country
needs an independent Planning inspectorate for Wales as the old single planning
inspectorate for England and Wales is increasingly unsustainable.
