Should economic objectives overide the social and environmental?

A View from 'south of the border':

"The Kate Barker review of land use planning in England will have a dramatic impact on the way we shape the future of our communities. Despite the radical restructuring of planning which began in 2005, her interim report heralds the beginning of a further major program of reform and deregulation. But the analysis in the report is based on a flawed understanding of the purpose of planning and lacks both a rigorous evidence base and a coherent analytical approach. Consequently, its key ideas threaten changes to planning which would damage the UK’s economy, environment and democratic process

Friends of the Earth is deeply concerned that the final Barker Report will form part of a calculated web of other policy documents, including the Energy Review and the Eddington Transport Study, whose proposals will prioritise narrow and short-term economic objectives, will marginalise the voice of communities and will compromise the planning system’s ability to deliver other vital public policy objectives."

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