Aireborough – By Darren Sanderson Photography

‘The 2012 NPPF is a builder’s charter: the readiness of Whitehall and Local Authorities to overrule local wishes — a key demand of the builders’ lobbyists in 2011 — has been gushing gold ever since. This is not planning, but a declaration of war.’

This article came to our attention today – it’s from Simon Jenkins, when he left the National Trust in 2014.  Our own experience with the Leeds Site Allocations,  our difficult experiences this year with DCLG, and now the Bradford Local Plan for Wharfedale, show the point Simon is making is still very much with us, and beginning to bite, as you will see from this article in The Times this week – quote below.

Sajid Javid, the communities secretary, told the House of Commons in July: “The green belt is absolutely sacrosanct . . . Unless there are very exceptional circumstances, we should not be carrying out any development on it.”  Since June, councils have proposed an additional 22,000 homes for the green belt in their draft local plans, according to analysis for The Times by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).

Nothing has changed, and this is why it is happening.

Our aim in the Neighbourhood Plan is to try to bring order and evidence to bear with Planning Authorities and Government.  But, we need the funds to do that – and for legal costs, if, in the end, all else fails.

Please do consider giving to our current fund-raising campaign on Localgiving – you’ll find the Donation page here.  Thank you to everyone who has already donated, and all those who have already given their time and expertise.

LOCALGIVING DONATION PAGE – AIREBOROUGH NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN