The Coursework is concerned with the new coalition Government's Essay

The Coursework is concerned with the new coalition Government's Localism Bill, a major piece of legislation that will affect a - Essay Example The fact is, a planning process determines who can construct and what they can construct as well as how and where that construction can be conducted. This report will identify the main planning contents of the Localism Bill, provide an analysis of the Bill’s impact on the chief stakeholders impacted by the proposed planning reforms and provide an appraisal of the winners and losers should the Bill become law. Finally, this report having identified the key planning contents of the Bill, stakeholder interests and winners and losers, a list of recommendations for achieving the Bill’s purpose will be provided. A. The Proposed Planning Procedures under the Localism Bill The Department for Communities and Local Government reports that the planning provisions of the Localism Bill is designed to â€Å"make the planning system clearer, more democratic, and more effective†.1 The first step in that direction is the abrogation of regional focus which are currently strategize d to identify parts of England and Wales that require new development. This includes targeting specific areas which have been identified by the central government. Local communities and their populations have very little input with respect to these strategies. The government has determined that regional strategies is not only â€Å"bureaucratic†, but also â€Å"undemocratic†.2 Part 5 of the Localism Bill 2010 will therefore set out to abrogate regional strategies.3 Part 5 of the Localism Bill also intends to address the current planning framework’s instructive and dictator approach by introducing neighbourhood planning.4 In other words, rather than being told by the Government what should be built and where and â€Å"how they should look,† the Localism Bill will confer upon communities the right to compose its own â€Å"neighbourhood development plan†.5 Local populations are at liberty to vote by virtue of referendum on a neighbourhood development plan if it is consistent with the country’s policy for planning and the â€Å"strategic vision for the wider area by the local authority and with other legal requirements†.6 This immediately invites questions as to whether local populations are qualified to make this kind of determination. Should the majority choose a neighbourhood development plan that is inconsistent with the country’s policy, the law, or the local authority’s vision for the wider area, the neighbourhood is ultimately left with no neighbourhood plan and will have to plan and vote all over again. A lot of time can be wasted this way and will defeat the purpose of the planning provisions under the Localism Bill relative to saving time in the planning process. Although the Localism Bill requires that local planning official lend technical support to neighbourhoods in planning their neighbourhood’s development, there is no guarantee that this support will be accepted or understood. I n addition, individual minds may be made up and no amount of advice and support will change those minds. The community’s right to build is also a novel idea and will only provide for neighbourhood development. Under Part 5 of the Localism Bill, individual groups will have the opportunity to put forth smaller development projects. These projects can include businesses, shops and dwelling houses. All benefits deriving from these projects will remain within the community.7 Part 5 of