MPs Urge Jenrick To Keep Planning Notices In Local Papers

MPs have continued to highlight the dangers of removing planning notices from local papers by tabling Parliamentary Questions to Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick.

Bob Blackman, Conservative, MP for Harrow East, is the latest MP to table a question on the issue, asking the Communities Secretary, “what assessment he has made of the importance of advertising planning notices in local newspapers to (a) the elderly and vulnerable, (b) other local residents and (b) local media organisations.”

In a series of Parliamentary questions to the Communities Secretary, MPs have raised concerns about the millions of people who would be excluded from seeing the notices if the requirement to publicise them in local papers was removed, as proposed in the Planning for the Future consultation.

The News Media Association, which is campaigning against the proposals, is also encouraging news publishers to submit their responses to a Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee to highlight concerns around removing the requirement for public notices to be printed in local newspapers.

The survey will close on 12 November and publishers can submit their responses here.

MPs have written to the Communities Secretary on the issue and submitted Parliamentary Questions.  

Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Rotherham, asked the Communities Secretary, “whether he has carried out an impact assessment on the removal of the statutory requirement to publicise planning applications in local newspapers on the (a) number of people who would be excluded from seeing such notices and (b) revenue reduction to local newspapers as a result of the removal of that requirement.”

Emma Hardy, Labour, MP for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle, asked what assessment the Communities Secretary, “has made of the potential effect of removing the statutory requirement to publicise planning applications in local newspapers.”

Julian Sturdy, Conservative, MP for York Outer, asked the Communities Secretary, “what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the removal of the statutory requirement to publicise planning applications in local newspapers on (a) transparency and (b) local accountability in the planning process.”

Barry Sheerman, Labour MP for Huddersfield, asked, “what assessment the Communities Secretary has made “of the importance of advertising planning notices in local newspapers to (a) local residents and (b) local media organisations.”

And Sir Christopher Chope, Conservative MP for Christchurch, asked what regulatory impact assessment the Communities Secretary, “has carried out on the proposal to remove statutory requirements for planning applications to be publicised in local newspapers; and if he will make a statement.”