Government planning reforms will weaken the voice of local people

Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE is warning that planned government reforms to planning rules will “weaken the voice of local people and only benefit greedy developers.”

Councillor Sykes said, “The government’s approach to planning could give developers a blank cheque to trample on hard won environmental protections and destroy our precious green spaces.  It’s already too easy for developers to overlook local concerns and weasel out of commitments to nature and local infrastructure needs.

“The Government should urgently think again before they weaken the voice of local people and only benefit greedy developers.”

The Government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill is currently in its late stages of development and is being debated in the House of Lords.