Your views duly noted

Thanks to all who have responded thus far to the call for views on how APT should plan for the future. Here is just a small selection of comments so far?

Question 1: Do you think it is important to know how much land we are using for development and where that land is?

"Most definitely - although the local plan should identify where the land is but changes in between local plans being drawn up could slip people's attention"

"Yes, clear maps really get the message across"

"PPS 1 says it is the right of the community to decide the future shape of their environment therefore its important that the community view is reflected by the planning policy teams preparing the Local Plan and the Local Development Frameworks."

"The reason why I would always support (and indeed, I often 'champion') planning as a system/activity/profession is because without it - we are left with only the market, and with market allocation of land, land uses and all the things that come with that (goods, services etc). So, outside all the bunkum that you've no doubt read about the planning system being there to do x, y and z (which is it's purpose, of course) - really the reason we have a planning system is that we as a society decided some time ago that the use and development of land should be regulated and strategically provided for. That means that all the red tape and regulation you're currently working through is supposed to be there to ensure that land is developed in a way that doesn't just suit the landowner, but contributes something to broader social/environmental/economic goals. Now, that of course is the key question for debate - and where planning becomes very politically contested (as you know) over whether a development constitutes something that contributes to such goals, and even what the goals should be."

Apologies in advance if all the fonts come out differently: it happens when I import from e mails