Clause 40 - Statement of development principles
Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill
4:45 pm
Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne, Conservative)
No, I am talking only about amendment No. 95. The other amendments may hang together and may make sense with or without amendment No. 95, but I am focusing on amendment No. 95. What I see in that amendment, I see in all the other amendments. The amendment would provide a safeguard against gratuitous attempts to stop development for reasons that are not in the best interests of the majority of the people in the area. It is as simple as that. It would allow the local planning authority discretion to say, ''We understand. You have made your request and we have listened to your reasons, but we do not think that we should deal with that.'' If that is not acceptable to the Government, the remaining amendments seek alternative ways of doing that.
I shall not delay the Committee by speaking to amendments Nos. 96, 97 and 98. The hon. Member for Ludlow said that he likes them and I am delighted, but I make no apology for the fact that I am trying to stop
some harm that will arise from what is a good idea in principle.