Luton's Liberal Democrats speak out over shake-up of planning process which could see neighbours 'left in dark'

The proposals have been described as “a plot to prevent residents finding out about planning applications in their neighbourhood, removing their right to object or comment".

“Their new rules would allow property developers to do whatever they like while keeping neighbouring residents in the dark,” warned opposition group leader and Barnfield councillor David Franks.

“You can’t object to a planning application if you don’t know it exists, and you can’t object to a development after it has been built.

“We have to do whatever we can to stop them.”

The Liberal Democrats have tabled a motion for debate at the next full council meeting on Tuesday, September 29.

“We expect all members of the council to enthusiastically support this strong protest,” said councillor Franks.

“We have to protect people’s right to know what’s going on in the street where they live.”

The town’s Labour MPs and its two local members of the House of Lords could be called on to campaign and vote against the government’s planned reforms.

A government White Paper and a letter from the chief planner were published last month ahead of a planning for the future consultation process.

The aim is “to streamline and modernise the planning process and bring a new focus to design and sustainability”, said the government website.

Other benefits are “to improve the system of developer contributions to infrastructure and ensure more land is available for development where it’s needed”, it added.

The Luton Liberal Democrats say the proposals will:

> Prevent residents finding out about planning applications in their locality;

> Grant an automatic right for developers to build on land identified as ‘for growth’ with no need to apply for planning permission;

> Automatically allow owners to add a further two levels to two-storey homes without planning permission;

> Remove local authority rights to obtain developer contributions for infrastructure improvements made necessary by their development.

Their motion asks the council “to express its deep concern at many of the planning reforms set out in the White Paper and the effect the changes will have on the living environment of Luton residents.

It wants the council to note that, “in making these proposals, the government appears to be blaming local government and current planning rules for its target to build more housing not being met”.

This ignores the fact that 40 per cent of sites granted planning consent since 2009/10 have not been built and that councils approve 90 per cent of planning applications, says the motion.

It adds: “Council further notes that Luton is already suffering from the last government reform of planning regulations.

“This has led to office buildings around the town being converted for sub-standard residential use, with rooms well below the minimum space standards and all without the need for the owners to apply for planning consent.”

The motion also says the council: “Strongly believes that these proposals represent a major attack on local democracy and will in many cases remove the rights of Luton residents to object to harmful planning applications.”

And it “requests the chief executive send a copy of this resolution to Luton’s two Members of Parliament and the two local members of the House of Lords requesting them to campaign and vote against the proposals”.