Get your right to be heard included in the Planning Bill

The Planning Bill went to report stage on the 2nd June, when MPs began to debate amendments to the Bill in Parliament.

Friends of the Earth is voicing strong concerns about the impact of the new Planning Bill on climate change and your right to be heard.

Climate change

On the 2nd June two amendments sponsored by Friends of the Earth asking for climate change to be acknowledged in the Bill were defeated by just 15 votes.

This will mean that major new developments like roads, power stations and airport expansions will have no obligation to consider climate change.

There is still time to take action for the right to be heard

The debate will continue in Parliament on Monday the 9th June. There is still time to lobby MPs to support amendments asking for a meaningful right to be heard to be included in the Bill. And your MP can still vote to reject the new Bill.

The Right to be heard

The new Planning Bill proposes removing your right to have a say in decision-making on major projects. The Bill will mean:

Less say No meaningful right to be heard in person at inquiries.
Less democracy No ministerial accountability for decisions on major projects.

We need to ensure that the individual's right to be heard at inquiries into major infrastructure projects is upheld, and that Ministers remain accountable for these decisions

Take action - Press for change

We have sent a coalition briefing asking MPs to support amendments to ensure a proper right to be heard for communities. You can also send this to your MP.

Write to your Member of Parliament asking them to put pressure on the Government and support our amendments to the Planning Bill

Your MP could be influential in this debate - make sure they know you want them to support these amendments

It's a three step process:

Find your local MP
Choose a contact method
Send a letter by email, fax or print out to post*

Step 1 of 3: Find your local MP

Type your postcode in the box below and press Go:

Postcode:
Enter a postcode please

I believe it is vital for our Government to protect the right to be involved in decisions that affect our community, and ensure we consider climate change when deciding major infrastructure projects such as roads, airports and power stations. 
The Planning Bill creates a new Infrastructure Planning Commission that is undemocratic and unaccountable. It also creates a system of national policy statements which outline separate rather than integrated policy on major infrastructure.

It is predicted that there will be around 45 projects per year, but further amendments to the Bill increase the scope of the Commission and mean that there are likely to be many more than this.

We therefore ask you to please sign up in support of the following amendments:

Amendment on the right to be heard

The default position outlined in the Bill holds that the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) will merely consider written representations. Only at the discretion of the IPC will there be an inquiry such as in the existing system. This amendment ensures that the IPC must hold an inquiry if requested:

Page 44, Line 5 [Clause  85]; at end insert: 'subject to the right of interested parties to make oral representations'

Please speak in support of protecting our right to have a say when the Bill is debated on the 23rd June.

* Some MPs do not have an email address and/or fax number. Only contact methods that are available will be shown.

To view PDF files you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Visually impaired users can get extra help with these documents from access.adobe.com.

Discuss "Get your right to be heard included in the Planning Bill " in our forum

Main image ©

Planning

News

Planning Bill amendments

► Latest Press Release

Press for change

Last modified: Jun 2008