Grant Shapps has accused the Government of creating “a generation of NIMBYs” and exacerbating the housing crisis by penalising communities that take on development.
The Shadow Housing Minister said the Government’s “misguided attempt to make something happen” had created deep suspicion of house-builders and developers.
He explained that the public felt “alienated” by increasing targets, central diktats and unelectable quangos and that local politicians feel unable to campaign for development.
Grant said that our “progressive solution” is to ensure that where there’s development, there’s cash for the local community – ensuring that that local politicians would stand in favour of development, because the community would actually benefit.
He said that our approach as a government will be “unashamedly pro-sustainable development” and he added:
“We’ll amend the planning system to enshrine this, thereby making the planning process quicker, more certain and more transparent.”
Read Grant's speech in full.