A group including developer Land Securities and house-builder Countryside Properties has vowed to rally against proposed Conservative planning policies.

The ‘Building Futures’ group is intending to provide evidence that will support its fears that the proposed changes will enable Nimbys (Not in my back yard) to effectively take control of planning polices to the detriment of the construction industry.

National planning targets are to be scrapped by the Tory party with housing numbers handed over to local councils. Because of this, the developers are concerned that the councils are more influenced by grass-roots anti-development campaigns.

Emma Cariaga, head of strategic projects at Land Securities, told The Sunday Times: “We want applications to be treated fairly and judged on merit, not on the basis of instincts or political whims. Weakness in the planning system will threaten economic recovery.”
The group stated that research commissioned by it and carried out by Com Res discovered that 57% of local councillors thought that housing targets were too high with only 14% stating they were too low.