MK Labour are urging the two Conservative MPs for Milton Keynes to rebel against the government and support a Labour attempt to block plans that take away a final say for local communities in planning applications.

The government announced its intention to bring forward a new planning bill during the Queen’s Speech that would remove the right of local people to have a say in the local planning process and does nothing to solve the growing affordable housing crisis.

Controversial plans being considered by the government would scrap planning committees and hand power to developers. Local people would no longer have the ability to formally object to inappropriate developments in their own neighbourhood, and instead the only opportunity to participate would be limited to every few years during a consultation on the area’s local plan.

In growth areas like MK, proposals from developers would be automatically granted outline planning permission for the principle of development without any input from local people.

Cllr Peter Marland, Leader of Milton Keynes Council said: “We know that planning works best when local communities and developers work together. The governments solution to speeding up the process removes the right of local people and elected representatives who know the area best to have a say”

He continued: “The proposals make little or no mention of important issues that are central to the planning process such as working towards net zero and the provision of essential infrastructure and in growth areas like MK, proposals from developers would be automatically granted outline planning permission for the principle of development without any input from local people, which would be disastrous for the city”

 He concluded: “I hope that our local Conservative MPs will put Milton Keynes first and rebel against these plans to ensure that MK’s future isn’t put into the hands of greedy developers, and local people can continue to have a say on where they live”