Get Politics Out of Planning ... to get Ethical

Central and local government should surrender control of planning permits and policy to an independent body of ‘Resource Stewards’, urged Professor Michael Benfield, keynote speaker to the National Sustainable Regeneration Conference 2006 held in Birmingham.

Birmingham (PRWEB) March 10, 2006 -- Addressing an audience of development, regeneration and environmental professionals, as well as government officials, he illustrated how planning systems worldwide have evolved to create bargaining systems between politicians and developers. To counter this and deliver true sustainability with subsidiarity, new codes of professional ethics were required, he argued.

“Our present system of allowing planning and development to be ‘in the gift’ of both local and national politicians has completely failed millions of people who can no longer find an affordable home.” Professor Benfield told the conference. “There is no easy fix to correct the damage done to British society, but passing control of all national resources -- land, property, minerals, water, energy, and so on -- to an independent body of stewards could be the solution.”

Likening his proposal to the present Governments decision to separate the setting of interest rates from the Treasury and charging the Bank of England with this function, he suggested that, in the same way, these ‘Resource Stewards’ should not be answerable to Government. Instead they should have a remit to consult widely and use ‘direct democracy’ representation to help plan the use and application of the nations natural wealth for the very long-term future.

“Real, long term wealth, involves social, welfare, community and various forms of resource capital.” He pointed out “Yet official intervention has become cultural manipulation, -civic social concern has become city entrepreneurialism, regulatory systems have become frameworks for negotiation, global economics is distorting fundamental truths & values, and consumerism is squandering everyone’s efforts, just as successive Governments have managed to fritter away our North Sea Oil wealth.”

“Achieving ‘Truly Sustainable’ development demands a new ethic capable of embracing and reflecting the new imperatives of ‘sustainability’ & ‘subsidiarity’ which must transcend present distorted economic goals, address intergenerational equity, and give ‘earth’ a voice at the negotiating table.” he argued, adding that, “If enforced, they could help overcome political shorttermism.”

Benfield ATT Media Centre: http://www.benfieldatt.co.uk/media

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