Responding to comments by Chancellor George Osborne signalling planning reforms to boost the economy, Friends of the Earth’s Planning Campaigner Anna Watson said:

“Osborne's continued meddling in planning policy is undermining protection of precious green belt and adding to confusion about Heathrow's future just days after David Cameron ruled out further expansion.

“The Government should be using the planning rules to benefit people and the environment by ensuring that developments are in the right place and encouraging more low carbon developments.

“The green economy is the only part of the economy that is growing yet Osborne's blinkered attempts to build more roads and airports appear to have left him blind to this opportunity.”

ENDS