Planning lobbyists have urged the government to create local ‘planning tsars’, with statutory powers, to better integrate planning with councils’ other functions.
The idea has been proposed by the Putting Planning First campaign, led by the Town & Country Planning Association (TCPA) and supported by more than 100 other organisations.
Putting Planning First said: “A new statutory recognition should be given to the local authority officer with responsibility for the planning function, in order to ensure that forward planning is represented and integrated amongst the functions of the first tier level of directors of a local authority.”
TCPA director Gideon Amos said: “Planning has suffered an image problem and is understood by many to be confined to an obscure science of development control.”
Putting Planning First will be launched tonight by Sue Essex, the environment minister in the devolved Welsh government.
The launch will also be attended by Greater London Assembly deputy chair Baroness Sally Hamwee, TCPA chair David Lock and former environment secretary John Gummer.
EGi News 12/12/02
