Posted 28 February 2007

The Barker Review of Land Use Planning

The Barker Review of Land Use planning was commissioned by the Treasury as a review of the UK ’s planning system, primarily focussing on the link between planning and economic growth.

The full report can be seen at: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/independent_reviews/barker_review_land_use_planning/barkerreview_land_use_planning_index.cfm

What does the Civic Trust Think?

The Civic Trust has greeted many of the recommendations made in this report with great concern.   The majority of the recommendations in this report focus on reforming the planning system for the benefit of businesses and developers may have many implications for the protection of the built and natural environments and the ability of communities to have a say in the development of their local areas.

The Civic Trust thinks that if implemented, the Barker review of land use planning may result in the dominance of business interests in the planning system with local people having little or no input into the future of their areas.

In particular we are concerned about proposals within the document that will:

• Reduce public involvement in inquiries in order to speed up major regional and national projects.
• Increase the dominance of supermarkets in town centres at the expense of local shops by abolished the “needs test” as part of the planning process for retail development.
• Reduce the right of communities  to have a say in plans
• Threaten Greenbelt land with development

What is the Civic Trust doing?

The Civic Trust is working on a campaign to make our concerns about this report known at the highest levels of government.  We are also part of a coalition group (which includes the CPRE, Friends of the Earth and Transport 2000) which is working to campaign against these recommendations.

We will also produce a campaign statement and a detailed analysis that will be available on this page very soon.

What can I do?

Visit the website www.planningdisaster.org  to send a letter to Gordon Brown.

Sign up to the Civic Trust Policy update (email Hannah Mummery on hmummery@civictrust.org.uk) for more information) to hear updates on the campaign and contribute your views.