Here in Derbyshire Dales, your local Conservatives are concerned by changes to the planning system by the Labour Government, as well as how local decisions have been handed by the "Progressive Alliance" that runs Derbyshire Dales District Council.
The Labour Government’s new Planning and Infrastructure Bill means that some planning developments will be able to bypass local planning committees. This takes power away from local people and those they elect, instead handing power to unelected civil servants.
Local consent cannot be ignored and this risks creating a democratic deficit. There will surely be more legal challenges from residents, feeling locked out of the decision-making process, going forward.
Looking at the wider picture on housing, Labour have decreased housing targets in Derby City, yet raised them here in Derbyshire Dales. Labour are targeting rural areas like ours.
Locally the Liberal Democrat-led coalition including the Greens and Labour at the District Council have made planning decisions in secret and we don’t believe this is good enough.
Derbyshire Dales Conservatives feel that planning decisions should be transparent and made by those they elect.
Our Labour MP in Derbyshire Dales has failed to speak up for residents on the undemocratic changes. We urge him and the Government to think again.