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Make planning transparent, fair, and democratic
31 January 2012

The planning system isn't working.

In a survey conducted by Queen's University Belfast last year, nearly 80% of citizens thought that the system served them "poorly" or "very poorly."

The purpose of planning must be to make Northern Ireland more resilient, and value the real wealth of our nation:

a clean and thriving natural environment
local food and renewable energy
urban space that nurtures functioning, not dysfunctional, communities, and physical and emotional well-being
hubs of economic activity that result in a net increase of jobs and prosperity for all of our citizens.

Planning powers are due to be transferred to Local Councils. Friends of the Earth belives this could improve the planning system. People need to be confident in the system before powers can be transferred though.

Before people can feel the system will work for them:

the anonymity of donors to political parties should end
a binding code of conduct for Councillors should be implementation.

The transfer of powers is the responsibility of the Minister for the Environment.

Write to the Minister and ask him to postpone the transfer of powers to Local Councils until the anomynity of party donors has ended, and a code of conduct for Councillors has been implemented.

We can make the planning system work for people, the economy and the environment.

Make planning transparent, fair, and democratic

Dear Minister

Here's an example you can use (but a personal message from you would be much more effective).

I am keen for planning powers to be devolved to local authorities at the earliest opportunity. I believe that in the right circumstances this will render those who make decisions about development more accountable to those who are affected. However, two vital safeguards to ensure public confidence in a transparent planning system are missing from Northern Ireland politics - namely the anonymity of party donors, and the implementation of a binding code of conduct for councillors. Whilst it is the responsibility of the Secretary of State to deal with the publication of donations to political parties, you can halt the transfer of planning control from the DOE to local authorities. Therefore, I ask you to call a moratorium on any devolution of planning powers to local authorities, beyond pilot projects, until such time as the Northern Ireland Office has ended anonymity for donations to political parties. I am also calling for a participative public process of devising both a new system of party political funding, and a binding code of ethical conduct for elected representatives. The Northern Ireland public must be given an opportunity to decide how our political parties are funded, and what we know about who is paying them, as well as being able to hold them to a set of rules about what is acceptable behaviour when holding an elected office. I am also supporting the campaign for the Northern Ireland Office to deliver this important reform to our political system, so that the right political environment for devolved planning powers is in place as soon as possible.

You can contact me by email (preferably - to save resources) or at the following address:

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Make planning transparent, fair, and democratic31 January 2012

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Make planning transparent, fair, and democratic
31 January 2012