Put Communities In Charge Of Planning Decisions, Conservatives Told

Planning decisions should be made by communities, rather than local or national government, to increase the supply of housing and reduce the pressure on the social housing sector, delegates at the Conservative party conference heard. Alex Morton, head of housing and planning at the Policy Exchange thinktank, said the planning system was broken down and that prescriptive regulations were constraining development. Instead of planning and housing orders being handed down by central or local government, decisions should be made by local communities. This would, he said, eliminate clashes with local people and ensure developments would be designed to add value to an area, rather than be imposed on communities against their will. Read more on the Guardian website.