The last few days - apart from a wonderful walk in Randwick Woods (left) - and leading one of the Coffee House Discussions at Star Anise - I seem to have been tied up in front of the computer.One project just finished and sent today was a response to the Government consultation aimed at dismantling the planning inquiry system and destroying local democratic accountability. I submitted a report on behalf of Stroud District Green party condemning the move and questioning the whole consultation process - these reports can take a fair time to pull together - getting input from members, checking facts and quotes etc - and as you will see since being elected I've contributed or written a significant number of these from GM crops to Planning documents - to be honest this time I ran out of time and made much use of a national Green party submission on the same subject. To me it is vital that something gets put in to the DTi noting our opposition.
The conclusion by the Government that 'nuclear is needed' was not arrived at properly - and regardless of whether or not you support the idea of nuclear power, it is surely right that potential developments should at least be debated in public.
New nuclear reactors are planned at sites of old reactors like Oldbury and less likely Berkeley. The nuclear industry, as a prerequisite to investment, have demanded that the planning process is speeded up - basically to stifle debate and avoid proper scrutiny. Our Government wants to ensure that all major decisions are made in advance by removing from public inquiries any significant issues other than the consideration of local environmental impacts.
This attempt to curtail the role of the Public Inquiry is misguided, potentially unlawful and corrosive of democratic values and the tradition of local participation in planning matters. It is great news that Stroud District Council have taken on board the Green party view that this consultation needs a response and that they have also now written to express concerns about these changes.
1 comment:
hello philip,
thanks for posting this - i have seen a number of your articles on Indymedia - now we have a green blogrole too!
i think it is important to emphasise the european connection in this - notably France who used the local host community solution for their nuclear waste
see my blog for details of french giant EDF role in so-called planning process:
http://green-culture.blogspot.com/search/label/Nuclear
we must pressure any council who wants to tow the gov. line on this - it is obviously undemocratic because it affects all of us.
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