THE Government’s proposed changes to planning law will see sweeping changes controlling development.

The recent government consultation attracted more than 10,000 responses, proving this is a hot topic.

In my response I raised my concerns that the new National Planning Policy Framework will favour developers while failing to give adequate opportunity for local people to have their say on local planning proposals.

Allowing developers free reign shows a blatant disregard for local opinion and threatens the UK’s obligations to meet legally binding EU targets on both air quality and renewables; targets set by the EU to protect citizens’ health and reduce climate emissions.

Removing the prioritisation of brownfield sites for development will add to pressure to build on our precious greenfield sites.

The Government’s new plans will remove the requirement to look for a town centre site before creating an out of town development.

Building outside towns threatens the viability of local shopping streets and creates a need for more travel, which increases already dangerously high levels of air pollution.

The Government is failing to meet safe levels for pollutants as set out in EU air quality legislation and we have some of the most polluted air in Europe. The proposed changes to planning will do nothing to address this serious health risk.

The failure to include any renewable energy targets in the framework will inevitably lead to a reduction in the number of job creating renewable energy projects and we will most likely fail to achieve legally binding 15 per cent renewable energy targets by 2020.

Failure to meet both the air pollution and climate change targets will open up the UK to hundreds of millions of pounds in EU fines.

I hope your readers will join me in urging the Government to think again.

KEITH TAYLOR Green MEP for South East England