Member of Parliament for the Cities of London & Westminster, Nickie Aiken, spoke out for local people to have their say in the planning process during the Second Reading of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.
Nickie knows that local people know what works best in their neighbourhoods. Any planning reform is vital to respect that.
On Wednesday, 8 June, the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, laying out the Government’s reforms to the planning and licensing system, came to the House of Commons.
Nickie spoke out in favour of the Bill, with a few amendments, to sensibly reform the planning system so that the Two Cities remain a thriving community.
Specifically, the Bill cracks down on a system where more than one million homes have been granted planning permission across the country, but they are yet to be built. This clause of the Bill will go a long way to improve the availability of housing.
The Bill also renews the emphasis on local plans and appropriate design codes. It appreciates the nuances of individual communities. Nickie made the case on how one size does not fit all, particularly on al fresco dining which may be appropriate in parts of Pimlico, but she has frequently heard from local people in Soho that it does not work for them there.
As the local MP for the Two Cities since 2019, and 16 years as a Councillor, Nickie declares she has only ever met people who are passionate about their neighbourhoods. Local people know what works best and she wants that approach reflected in this important legislation.
