Councillor takes fight for planning reform to national conference

Local Lib Dem Councillor and parliamentary candidate for Bosworth Michael Mullaney took the fight for the need for more local control over planning decisions to the national Lib Dem conference.

Speaking in the debate on housing Michael Mullaney said "Too many times unsuitable housing developments are turned down by Councillors here in Hinckley and Bosworth and other parts of the country, only to be overturned by government Inspectors in London. We have seen planning applications in Burbage, Barwell, Hinckley, Markfield, Barlestone and elsewhere in our borough being opposed by local residents and local councillors, then being passed by outside Inspectors.

"It's time to reform the planning laws so that the decisions taken by local people and their local elected representatives are respected rather than overriden"

Michael Mullaney also used the speech to welcome the fact that with Lib Dems in government the first Council Houses were being built in Hinckley and Bosworth since the 1980s and welcomed affordable housing developments in Carlton where there was the local demand and support from local residents, the Borough Council and local Parish Council.