Clause16
Commons Bill [Lords]
4:00 pm
David Drew (Stroud, Labour)
I am very pleased that subsection (8) defines thepublic interest. The problem is that we do not define what we mean bythe “interests of the neighbourhood” and how that wouldbe reflected. With the best will in the world, that is where theconflict is most likely to occur. For example, a group of people mightsee the exchange as somewhat less advantageous, but the landowner andperhaps a larger authority, which could have already granted planningpermission, might say, “We think this should take place”.How do we measure those conflicting interests? Perhaps that issueshould be taken on board.