Kingston's Conservative councillors have submitted a motion to help protect the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames from poor quality development. Obviously development is needed locally, especially (affordable) housing, but it needs to be good quality and shouldn't negatively harm those who live near it. LibDem-run Kingston Council still hasn't approved a Local Plan, that would have given some sort of protection from those who seek to overdevelop with inappropriate buildings. The Conservative motion can be seen below.
Government Changes to Planning Rules and Kingston’s proposed new Local Plan
Proposed by Councillor Ian George
Seconded by Councillor Rowena Bass
Council notes that:
- Angela Rayner (the Deputy Prime Minister) has published a planning and infrastructure bill designed to liberalise planning rules.
- The Local Government Association has written to ministers to express reservations about this plan.
- That the government is seeking to find degraded green belt sites in order to reallocate them with grey-belt status, suitable for development.
- Kingston Council has delayed the production of a new Local Plan, leaving itself open to predatory development. However, Kingston Council is in the process of preparing a new Local Plan for the borough, which will set out a vision for how RBK wishes Kingston to change and evolve over the next 20 years.
- That a recent planning appeal allowed the demolition of a family house in Coombe Hill, and replacement with seven shared-living flats with a total of 49 bedrooms in two separate blocks.
Council believes that:
- The proposed changes by the government will lead to the vast majority of planning decisions being made with no input from Councillors.
- It is the democratic role of councillors to be involved in the decision making process of planning applications.
- Removing the ability for councillors to discuss, debate or vote on key developments in their localities could erode public trust in the planning system and local government itself.
- Quality green belt land serves an important role for the preservation of local biodiversity.
Council resolves:
- That the Leader of the Council writes to Angela Rayner (the Deputy Prime Minister), outlining its opposition to the plan to remove councillor input into proposed local developments.
- That the Planning Committee and Neighbourhood Planning sub-Committees prepare mechanisms for Councillors to express views on planning applications.
- That Kingston Council reviews all green-belt land, and identifies areas where green and natural land has been allowed to gradually become inflicted with unapproved uses, hardstanding and buildings. That RBK enforces against any unapproved uses or development that degrades the green belt, and seeks to return it to an area that is positive for the local biodiversity.
- That the draft RBK Local Plan be reconsidered to take into account the future lack of input by Councillors, and seeks to build in further provisions and safeguards against applications that could negatively alter the neighbourhoods of the Royal Borough.
