A controversial application to build the country’s first deep coal mine in 30 years exposes a need to revitalise ‘planning as a public service’ according to an article by two academics.
Writing for The Conversation, Pancho Lewis, a researcher at the Lancaster Environment Centre based at Lancaster University and Gareth Fearns, a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow at Manchester University, call on the government to “show it understands what it means to decisively put the UK on a path towards clean energy while still recognising the importance of economic and social justice.”
They also urge caution over calls during the election campaign by Sir Keir Starmer to carry out a reform of planning. Instead they claim the country’s planning systems have been ‘hollowed out’ through cuts during austerity with work by local authority departments outsourced to consultants.
The pair argue ‘to achieve a rapid, just transition the planning system needs to be properly supported so that it can proactively steer the net zero transition, and communities can have a real say on development in their areas.’
In the article they add: “The alternative is that local areas are left at the mercy of speculative developers who will invest in what is most profitable, rather than what most effectively meets public needs.
In a context where green industry often offers less return on capital than fossil fuel sites or high-end real estate, a deregulatory approach risks forcing local areas to choose between high-carbon speculative development or no development at all, as had happened in Cumbria.”
With the likelihood of more projects linked to major infrastructure schemes in the pipeline, the authors have set out a three point plan of action to reform the planning process.
“First, the new government must draw a much clearer connection between decarbonisation and planning policy when it revises the national planning framework this summer. This would remove ambiguities about new fossil fuel extraction and would mean putting in place strong policies for new, green industries like the government has already done with onshore wind.
“Second, Labour desperately needs to provide more resources to local government so councils and regional mayors can use in house planning expertise, rather than relying on expensive, private-sector consultants.
“This is at odds with chancellor Rachel Reeves’ approach, which seems to covertly embrace austerity and is reliant on the finance and preferences of the various banks and asset managers assembled to deliver infrastructure with little public control or ownership.
“Third, and most importantly, communities need to be empowered to make genuine choices between alternatives. This is especially important for areas like Cumbria, with its long history of coal mining, or Aberdeen with its offshore oil, where green alternatives are as not as culturally embedded as carbon-intensive industries.”
Their article follows minister for local government, Angela Rayner, announcing the withdrawal of government support for the mine near Whitehaven which had been approved two years ago by the Conservative government.
Last week the company behind the project made its case at the High Court arguing the development would be net zero. A ruling is expected this summer.
