URGENT WE NEED YOUR HELP – PLEASE COMMENT BY 11.45pm THURS 29th OCTOBER
There are just a few days left to say on the government’s proposals to make major changes to planning law. The changes have been dubbed a “Developers Charter” that could see Wirral’s precious Green Spaces put at risk, whilst at the same time failing to build the right homes that we desperately need, in the right places.
Under the proposals, areas will be designated into three zones – “Growth”, “Renewal” or “Protection”. Once the zones have been designated there will be very little opportunity for local people to challenge inappropriate development in their local area. If a green space is in a “Growth” or “Renewal” zone then developers will be allowed to build on these areas with the local people and local Councillors unable to object.
The proposed algorithm means that housing target for Wirral will be even higher than that which is currently in the Draft Local Plan. Even the current target has been shown to be completely inflated and will put the Green Belt at risk.
Please respond to the planning white paper consultation. The easiest and quickest way to respond is to send a short email to:
planningforthefuture@communities.gov.uk
Suggested wording for your email comments are as follows:
"•The existing Planning System needs improvement but these Proposals are ill-thought-out, ignore available best science, data and advice and targets the wrong culprits
• Replaces the Standard Method for Calculating Housing Need (and the discredited 2014 ONS (Office for National Statistics) Data with an even worse Algorithm which is completely unworkable and distorted by unscientific factors. Lessons should have been learnt from the A-levels Fiasco that such algorithms give results which are opposite to those which are desired.
• Increases the already arbitrary national total of 300,000 homes by a further 12% which makes no sense following Brexit, Covid 19 and a shrinking Economy.
• The algorithm will mean that most of the new homes will be concentrated in the suburbs and shires rather than in town centres. This will do nothing for the areas that require investment or “levelling up” such as in the cities and towns of the “Northern Powerhouse”. It will do nothing for the Wirral where the real ‘Housing Need’ is of Regeneration, Replacement and Upgrading of substandard housing and the provision of truly “affordable” housing and “social” housing.”
(Please edit and amend your comments as you wish)
Further information about how to respond can be found via the link below to the ITPAS website. ITPAS and the Wirral Green Space Alliance have produced a helpful document to help you understand the issues and how to respond: “ITPAS & WGSA Notice for Consultation on Planning for the Future White Paper.pdf”
https://www.itpas.org.uk/our-programs
The CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England) has produced the following short video to explain the proposals.
Politicians across the political spectrum have criticised the proposed changes.
Conservative MPs have joined the backlash against the proposals:
https://www.building.co.uk/news/former-pm-slams-government-planning-reforms/5108376.article
Wirral West MP Margaret Greenwood has urged people to comment on the White Paper…
https://www.margaretgreenwood.org.uk/news/news/news.aspx?p=103317
The 'Planning for the future' consultation closes at 11.45pm on Thursday 29th October. Make sure you have your voice heard by contributing to the consultation via the following link or by emailing your comments to planningforthefuture@communities.gov.uk
Thank you for your support.