(13/08/2007)
VITAL TRANSPORT DEVELOPMENTS STUCK IN PLANNING LIMBO FOR OVER 80 YEARS
Decisions over road improvement schemes across the UK are being held up by a planning system that plays into the hands of parochial interest groups, a campaign launched today will claim. The Get Britain Moving campaign, led by the British Chambers of Commerce, calls for the quick implementation of measures set out in the Planning White Paper, allowing decisions over developments vital to the national infrastructure to be taken by an independent planning commission.
The BCC claim that the reforms are urgently needed if planning decisions are to be made in the name of long term economic needs, bringing much needed jobs and investment to communities cut adrift by crumbling transport links. The campaign calls on the Government not to be deterred by groups opposing the reforms, arguing that they are dangerously out of touch with economic realities.
The campaign features a website – www.getbritainmoving.co.uk – showcasing 16 projects that have spent a combined total of over 80 years tied up in planning consultations. These include:
- The A1 Western Bypass upgrade in the North East, desperately needed to ensure traffic passing Europe’s biggest business park does not grind to a halt. 4 years stuck in planning process
- Improvements to A96 linking Aberdeen and Inverness, vital to reducing bottlenecks and road accidents. 4 years stuck in planning system
- The A27 in Sussex, needing improvements to tackle the congestion which is costing Sussex business £29,000 annually. 5 years stuck in planning system
- The Port of Heysham link road development, needed to cut journey times across the River Lune in the North West. 14 years stuck in planning system – 35 years since first proposed
BCC Head of Policy Natalie Evans said:
“The projects highlighted on our website show why the planning system needs to be reformed. It’s unacceptable that projects promising jobs and investment to communities across the country are allowed linger on the back burner for so long. Giving decision making powers to an independent commission would ensure that decisions are taken efficiently and in accordance with long term priorities set by ministers, giving the planning system a real sense of vision and purpose. At the moment we’re seeing small interest groups able to thwart the needs of communities, trapping projects in a never ending labyrinth of consultations. This puts the wishes of a vocal few over community desire for economic success, challenging the democratic credentials of the current system.”
The campaign warns that continued lengthy delays to so many developments are allowing international competitors to pull away from the UK as they develop their own infrastructure improvements. It argues that establishing a national independent body with planning powers is needed to arrest this, with long term strategic planning decisions given precedence over short-sighted local campaigns.
ENDS |
