Public To Win Right to Speak on Planning Applications? (Leeds Liberal Democrats)

Leeds Liberal Democrats <info@leedslibdems.org.uk>

Public To Win Right to Speak on Planning Applications?

March 13, 2003 5:59 PM

Cllr Brian Jennings (Lib Dem, Weetwood), member of the Development Control (West) Panel, has welcomed recommendations that members of the public should be able to address meetings of the Councils Development Control Panels (Planning Committees).

Cllr Jennings said "Local people should have every right to make their views known to the Panel when it is making decisions that will affect the quality of their lives. In the past the Labour Group has voted down our proposals that the public should have the right to speak at Planning Committees. On many occasions we are asked to decide on controversial planning applications with very little input from local residents, these proposals should allow for better communication between the Council and local residents, and I welcome them as a step forward in bringing the planning process closer to local people."

Cllr Stewart Golton (Weetwood), Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Planning added "We have been calling for the public to be able to put their views on planning applications directly to meetings of the appropriate Panel for several years, most other local authorities allow this, but in Leeds it has always been opposed. The new proposals are that both objectors and applicants should be able to speak to the Panels when a contentious issue arises. This will allow the Panels to have a better perspective of the issues involved which are of particular concern to local communities when they take their decisions."