RE: RNS27 Jan 2021 07:42
Only6greens - I do agree with your sentiment but I would add the following - local authority planning officers are required, wherever possible, to require their adopted local plan policies are implemented, no matter how ridiculous, short-sighted or out of date these may be for an individual application. However, they are often overridden by elected members on the local authority's planning committee with even more ridiculous requirements, relaxations, or otherwise illogical or unsupported decision making. Also as lay people it is not always clear to see whether or the planning officer's report has been 'steered' by elected members.
In relation to HS2 - councils are (almost) utterly impotent on this as central government is mandating what is happening. HS2 planning applications and consultations are just tick-boxing - local councils and communities are being forced to accept what they're told. It's a sad state of affairs.