Hands Off Our Land: special protection for historic buildings in revised planning rules
This latest campaigning piece in the Telegraph maintains its review of responses to the proposed National Planning Policy Framework. It says “Last week, Bob Neill, the planning minister, said the rules would be “improved” because they were “never intended to be a charter for inappropriate development in the countryside”.The National Trust is leading the campaign against the proposed reforms and has been backed by other groups including the Campaign to Protect Rural England and the National Federation of Women’s Institutes. The Daily Telegraph has launched the “Hands Off Our Land” campaign. Last month, a government minister in the Lords incorrectly told peers that English Heritage was content with the planning reforms. This led to English Heritage protesting to the Government and this month’s agreement to water down the reforms.Last night, a spokesman for English Heritage said: “We are therefore working with government to find alternative words to put this right and ensure the future for our heritage.”
I recall that one of the reasons for closing the Commission for Rural Communities was that Government Agencies should not be set up to lobby Government – this clearly doesn’t apply to English Heritage. An organisation incidentally which I have supported financially for 6 years – I will be renewing my membership again this year and look forward to their consultation with their members on the issue of their approach to the NPPF.