Green Clash Feared on Bill

By Anonymous

Lawyers have warned that key parts of the Planning Bill will fall foul of European environmental legislation and provoke legal challenges. The UK Environmental Law Association’s (UKELA) planning and sustainable development working party has written to communities secretary Hazel Blears about the bill’s failure to mention the UK’s commitment to the environmental impact, strategic environmental assessment and habitats directives.

UKELA, which includes planning lawyers and consultants, said the proposals are “unstrearnlined, unfair, unworkable and risk being unlawful”. Working party convenor and associate partner at Beachcroft Anne Harrison commented: “These issues are not in the bill, so how do we know what the government intends to do with them?”

RSPB head of planning Simon Marsh said: “The government wants a streamlined system that gives developers assurances over when an application will be heard and unites domestic legislation. But the bill is not in line with European directives.”

A DCLG spokesman responded: “These baseless claims are simply wrong and misleading.” He added that the environmental regulations would be part of secondary legislation once the bill receives Royal Assent.

Copyright Haymarket Business Publications Ltd. Aug 1, 2008

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