Steve O’Connell AM challenged Bob Neill, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, to reduce developers’ ability to appeal refused planning decisions when he appeared in front of the London Assembly today. 

London Assembly Conservative Group Planning spokesman, Mr O’Connell said the current system in which developers, but not residents, have the power to appeal planning decisions is “grotesquely imbalanced” and “deeply unfair”.

He called on Mr Neill MP to “reduce the opportunity of appeal by the applicant . . . so that residents and the community recognise that there is more of a balance [in planning decisions].”

Responding, Mr Neil said: “I agree with you . . . the objective of an appeals system is firstly that it is expeditious and secondly that it is fair.”