Historic Preservation Group Throws Wrench in U.K.'s Streamlining

The U.K. government is determined to "simplify and speed up" the planning process at all levels, but the National Trust is staking ground against the measures, saying they would result in "Los Angeles-style" development patterns.

1 minute read

September 19, 2011, 10:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur


"The Government's planning reforms could lead to unchecked and damaging development in the undesignated countryside on a scale not seen since the 1930s," says a statement on the National Trust's website. While many conservative members of Parliament agree, The Mail insists that the Prime Minister is determined not to change his mind:

"Government sources say the Prime Minister will not perform a U-turn because he and Chancellor George Osborne believe streamlining the planning system is essential for economic growth."

The Mail also quotes the Prime Minister as saying that "...changes to the 'slow and bureaucratic' planning system were essential."

Monday, September 19, 2011 in The Mail Online

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