The housing white paper has distinctly green elements to it, with 38 questions posed as part of a consultation that runs to 2 May. The proposal to increase planning fees by 20% from July is welcome. However, what councils need is the ability to set fees to recover costs so that council taxpayers no longer subsidise planning. Districts have this power for taxi licences, where the process is only about the applicant but also addresses wider community interests. Why is planning dealt with differently?
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