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LACORS, which oversees councils' environmental protection work, has written to Local Government Secretary Hazel Blears expressing concerns that the controversial clause would silence local opposition to new building projects via the back door. The letter has also been signed by the charity Environmental Protection UK.
Current proposals would see around 40 to 50 nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs), including airports, rail links, trunk roads and power stations, given the go ahead each year by the proposed new national planning commission.
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The Government has sought to reassure councils that they will have an important role to play, with council-produced local impact assessments highlighting any potential negative impacts of development on local people.
However the addition of Clause 151 means that once developments have been given the go-ahead, councils will be unable to act on any complaints from local people regarding nuisance caused by noise, odour, light or any other type of pollution resulting from development work.
The Local Government Association (LGA), a cross-party organisation which represents all councils in England, has already expressed concerns that too many large-scale infrastructure projects are being put in the hands of the commission and that the wishes of local people could be bypassed. The LGA wants to see the number of NSIPs reduced to single figures.
Cllr Geoffrey Theobald OBE, Chairman of LACORS, said: "What this clause effectively says is that roads, airports and power stations are more important than people's health. Everybody has a right to enjoy their own home without being disturbed by pollution such as noise, dust, smells or artificial light and councils will do everything they can to make sure this right is upheld.
"By exempting major infrastructure projects from nuisance laws the Government is tying the hands of councils, leaving them unable to respond to the legitimate concerns of local people."
(CD/JM)
