STOP THE POWER GAMES

摘要

If anything has characterised tensions between the government, councils and the public during this parliament, it has been planning. The coalition has swept away swathes of planning policy and promised to hand development powers back to local people. But the UK is still in the midst of a housing crisis, and the government has had to step in to take some power back because the hoped-for development has not materialised. What should be built - and where - has never been such a political hot potato. Whether it is Ed Miliband pointing the finger at "land banking" developers, Nick Clegg locking horns with George Osborne, or Nick Boles unveiling policy after policy to try to solve the housing crisis, planning is likely to be a key issue as the UK heads towards the next general election.