Anthony Butcher

Proposals to abolish the current planning system and replace it with a locally-based system of community planning auctions have been referred back to the party’s policy committee for further consideration.
The motion called for individual landowners to nominate land for development and set a guide price. This could then be purchased by councils if there was local support for development. Councils would then be able to sell land on to developers with outline planning permission, allowing local government to benefit from rises in land value.

Speaking for the motion, Shadow Housing Minister Paul Holmes MP argued the measures would give councils incentives to allow development, allowing top-down government targets to be abolished. Other speakers, however, were sceptical of the proposals’ ability to conserve green belt land.

In a vote, conference representatives decided that the measures should be referred back to the party’s Federal Policy Committee.


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