Reactions to the Localism Bill

Planning Portal have collected reactions from several organisations to the bill:

Planners, lawyers, consultants and pressure groups have given a cautious welcome to the Localism Bill but highlighted considerable uncertainty over the detail of key measures.

Shaun Andrews, director of planning, development and regeneration at GL Hearn, said: “Yes local people will be given some power through the new neighbourhood plans, and increased power to Parish Councils, but will local communities grab the opportunity in the numbers envisaged by the coalition government? Or, as we have seen with the local development framework process, will some local authorities have a threadbare, patchwork quilt of half-plans for many years to come?