Nadine Dorries: planning rebels help modify bill

The reason we elect local councillors is for the very purpose of taking decisions which affect communities at a local level and planning falls very firmly within the local council remit. If I were to attempt to become involved the councillors would quite rightly perceive my involvement as one of interference in what they have been elected to manage.

Last week, however, 17 Conservative MPs and I rebelled against a Government Bill and a proposal to allow people to increase the size of their property without planning permission. The result was that the Government pulled the clause and modified the Bill to put power back into the hands of local residents.

The original Government proposal was to enable people to build extra capacity for dependent relatives, known as the ‘Conservatory amendment’. As it stands, 90% of all planning applications run smoothly and are passed without delay. It is the other 10% which cause problems and can be refused for very good reasons. Local neighbourhood harmony can be lost on the back of poor planning decisions. The original Bill was a recipe for disputes and for local councils to be left to pick up the tab as a result of potential legal action.

The situation now is that people do have extended permitted development rights. The process is that if anyone wants to build a conservatory or extend one using the new increased rights you must write to and inform your council including details and plans. They will write to any direct neighbour, who has 21 days to complain.