Very disappointing news from Westminster this evening, where the Labour Government have survived a backbench rebellion to pass controversial proposals to hand planning decisions for large infrastructure projects to an unelected quango. This is extremely worrying for local residents who will be denied any say on major projects which will affect their local neighbourhood.
It is perfectly reasonable to try to streamline a planning process which can take years in the most extreme cases, but the decision to remove these decisions entirely from the democratic process is absolutely appalling.
So how would the new powers in the Planning Bill affect local residents in Salford? It seems likely that local residents in Irlam and Eccles would lose their say on the major proposals for the Port Salford freight terminal at Barton. Any future proposals to expand the motorway network through Salford would also be taken out of the democratic structure - indeed had this new system been in place in the past, it is possible that the M62 relief road proposals would have been rammed through despite the objections of the local community.
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