David Cameron
The Tories’ planning green paper, leaked to Planning magazine, describes how counties and unitary authorities would be responsible for infrastructure projects, with no tier of government between local councils and Whitehall.
And, in summary, the magazine wrote: “The party is considering using ministers’ executive powers to revoke regional spatial strategies ahead of legislation.”
Ministers have little-known powers to pass laws without the agreement of Parliament, using orders passed in Privy Council which date back to at least 1353.
The green paper also reveals the right to appeal would be drastically curtailed – needing to show an assessment was flawed, or that a decision contravened the local plan – while affordable housing targets in local plans would be scrapped.
But a Conservative spokeswoman insisted the document was just “one of several versions” in circulation, adding: “We are not commenting until we launch the final green paper.”
