Press Notice from the Royal Town Planning Institute
Wednesday 20th January 2010 PR02

Planners welcome Government guidance on ‘garden-grabbing’

The RTPI has welcomed Planning Minister John Healey’s announcement that his department will issue new guidance to encourage local councils to use existing powers to protect back gardens from housing development.

Tino Hernandez, Head of Communications at the RTPI said:

“Councils already have powers that they can use to stop development in back gardens. But if they want to do this they need to get local policies in place against ‘garden grabbing’. Councils who don’t do that will find that it much more difficult to turn down speculative development in back gardens.

Of course, some local authorities might prefer for development to take place on existing gardens rather than green-field land, but that decision is rightly for the local council to take about what they think is best for their area.

The fact that only 5% of councils who think ‘garden grabbing’ is a problem actually have policies in place against garden development reinforces the need for more guidance and we’re glad that the Government has acted on this key issue which is of concern to many local people.”

ENDS
For further information please contact:

Jamie Hodge, Communications & Public Affairs Officer, RTPI
jamie.hodge@rtpi.org.uk or 07969 976 799

Notes to Editors

1. CLG report on garden development
The Government report on ‘garden grabbing’ and the Planning Minister’s comments can be accessed at http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1440002

2. RTPI: The Royal Town Planning Institute
The RTPI is the largest professional institute for planners in Europe, with over 22,000 members. As well as promoting spatial planning, RTPI develops and shapes policy affecting the built environment, works to raise professional standards and supports members through continuous education, training and development.

For further general information, visit the RTPI website at: www.rtpi.org.uk

41 Botolph Lane, London, EC3R 8DL
RTPI, a charity registered in England 262865 and Scotland SC 037841

Author:

Jamie Hodge

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

20-Jan-10

Categories:

 

Sections:

News & Media

This article has been read 162 times.