The lawyer brought in by Reeves to ‘fix’ the planning system has made a series of pro-red tape claims. Blocker brought in…
The Treasury briefed to the FT last night that Catherine Howard – EDF’s old top lawyer – will “advise on the next phase of the government’s planning reforms… after Reeves expressed frustration with the slow progress of key infrastructure schemes.” A new planning law is in the works. The whole point is to cut planning restrictions…
Howard’s public LinkedIn profile is full of support for eco-activists campaigning against Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which contains crucial provisions to streamline environmental regulations. Curbing environmental blocks is a small first step in meaningful planning reform…
Howard also opposes the replacement of highly restrictive “assessment duties” in the bill:
“We can’t legislate to remove assessment duties […] if the Government is thinking of legislating to the effect that “where a Delivery Plan is in place no assessment of the topics covered by that Delivery Plan is to be required” that would go much further and amount to the law decreeing matters of fact.”
She has also said it is impossible to reform hated Habitat Regulations:
“Some combination of Options 1, 2 and 3 would give the Secretary of State the ability to override habitat impacts based on bigger priorities. However, for reasons I explain below, this would be likely to put us in breach of a number of international treaties, as well as The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (“TCA”) entered into by the UK and the European Union in April 2021 to govern post Brexit relations. […]
It is difficult to envisage any meaningful changes to the Habitats Regulations (along the lines of Option 1, 2 or 3) which would not be interpreted as a “weakening” or “reduction” in the level of environmental protection, and one which would fail to maintain a level playing field.”
Howard’s knowledge of the intricacies of planning are well-regarded in the sector – though she is viewed as pro-environmental blocks and a proponent of the status quo. Not what you need…
Dr Lawrence Newport, who runs the Looking for Growth campaign, tells Guido:
“On the day we find out that the UK economy did not grow throughout the entirety of July, the government has now appointed a Vegetable Lobby blocker to a prominent position in the Treasury. If this government is serious on growth they need to act on it – that means radical ideas, not more status quo mindsets and supporters of decline.”
The Vegetable Lobby won’t save Reeves. What’s tomato with her anyway?
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