As the Government puts the final touches to the Housing White Paper, the National Trust and Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) has launched new evidence which points to a lack of local democracy in the English planning system. In a survey of 1,200 ward councillors across England, conducted by LGiU, 72% of councillors say that the system…
In this series of blog posts Ellie Dewdney will be keeping you up to date with current issues that could affect Britain’s most special places and what the National Trust are doing to preserve these national treasures. For those of you out there who haven’t come across it the National Planning Policy Framework (or the…
If you live in an old house and you’re worrying about your fuel bills you’re not alone. The National Trust has also been thinking about how it can cut its energy costs and is keen to share its ideas and experiences. But what, you may ask, does your home have to do with the…
New research published today by the National Trust and the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) suggests that the Government’s assurances of building on brownfield sites first is not backed up by reality on the ground. Writing in the Daily Telegraph today (Wednesday 27 March) the Communities Secretary Eric Pickles states: “We are making the most…
Research published today by the National Trust and the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) suggests that the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is failing to give local people a genuine say in shaping the future of their communities, falling short of the Government’s own localism ambitions. Published by Government a year ago today, after a…
New research has revealed that meeting a 12 month deadline for adopting a Local Plan has been unfeasible for potentially more than half of local authorities. And with the March 27 deadline fast approaching there is a growing fear that many areas across England without a robust planning scheme in place will become vulnerable to…
Earlier this month I interviewed Karin Taylor, Head of Land Use Planning for the National Trust. We began the discussion by looking back at 2012 and what the key moments were for the Trust. The main success for the National Trust last year was the changes the Government made to the final National Planning Policy…
