Chairman of the Association of London Government (ALG), Cllr Merrick Cockell, has warned that new powers awarded to Mayor of London Ken Livingstone will grant him unprecedented power over planning applications.
Speaking at the London School of Economics last week, Cockell questioned the wisdom of investing such a range of planning powers in a single person.
He warned that giving the mayor a strategic view over planning in London would lead to the boroughs losing their ability to influence planning in their own communities, with powers being “torn away” from local politicians who are accountable to the communities they serve.
“The tearing away of strategic planning powers from the 33 borough planning committees is a truly retrograde step and I think it has major constitutional implications,” said Cockell.
He added: “London is enjoying a period of amazing renaissance. World class buildings such as the Swiss Re have been constructed.
“Iconic designs such as the V&A spiral are given planning permission. Greenwich Peninsula is being redeveloped. Four boroughs joined their planning committees into one to approve the Olympic Park.
“These are all strategic decisions with city implications but taken at a local level – all requiring innovative thinking and practice, all of them risky, all happening within the current legislation.
“To me these are not obvious signs of a failing system and certainly not a failing city.”
Cockell said questions still remained unanswered about how the new planning system would work.
“There are many unanswered questions: How will the Mayor operate planning hearings? Will he, like us, meet in public? Will the application hearing be held in the local Town Hall or in divine isolation in City Hall?
“Will objectors, otherwise known as ‘local people’, be heard or simply consulted and ignored? Will he be capable as Councillors have to of coming to a planning application with an open mind?” said Cockell.
Cockell said the government should have “reinforced and revalidated its commitment to localism by devolving powers beyond a regional level”.
“My fear is that these changes are neither ‘robust and coherent’ as Secretary of State Ruth Kelly hopes,” added Cockell, “and may undermine a system that may be imperfect, but is not failing, and, without justification is shifting power from local to regional government.”
References: EGi News 31/07/06
