High street planning

SIR – We urge the Government to think again about its proposals to allow high street businesses to be changed to housing without full planning permission. Based on recent experience, we believe that the proposals, if enacted, will lower housing standards and accessible, natural green infrastructure provision, extinguish local democracy, and end public participation.

Permissions for over one million new homes are already in place but these have not been built out, according to the Local Government Association. There is little case to be made that the current system does not deliver consent for development.

We believe that local people and businesses are best placed to lead the change in town centres – for example, in providing more space for health and wellbeing purposes.

The planning system needs to ensure: local, democratically accountable decisions; the right to have a say over all development decisions; more genuinely affordable homes for local people; environmental protection and recovery for biodiversity; heritage protection and provision of accessible green space and conservation; and strong climate mitigation and adaptation duties. Miriam Turner and Hugh Knowles Co-Chief Executives

Friends of the Earth

Hugh Ellis

Director of Policy, Town and Country Planning Association

Crispin Truman

Chief Executive, CPRE

Ian Harvey

Executive Director, Civic Voice

Julie Hirigoyen

Chief Executive

UK Green Building Council

Craig Bennett

Chief Executive, The Wildlife Trusts Beccy Speight

Chief Executive, RSPB and 12 others; see telegraph.co.uk