News
New infrastructure projects - our democratic rights
The Government has removed our rights to protest against such
projects through public inquiries, like the one for the Associated
British Ports proposal to develop Dibden Bay.
The Planning Act gives powers to a new independent body, the Infrastructure Planning Commission.
This will be responsible for deciding any application when there is already in
force a relevant national policy statement. Our concern is whether this will make it easier
for government to ride rough shod over public protests. The
Secretary of State will have the power to intervene, although the
extent to which public opinion would be taken into account is another question.
Government aims include a massive programme of nuclear and coal fired power
stations without, in our view,
objective consideration of the consequences and alternatives.
Some background: the Planning, Energy and Climate
Change Acts became law in November 2008; the Marine and Coastal Access Bill
in November 2009.
We MUST do whatever we can to ensure our
democratic rights are maintained. There is still time - we hope.
John Walker