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Other recent campaigns
Below are summaries of some of our most recent campaigns. For more information, contact our Parliamentary Campaigns team at campaigns@rspb.org.uk
Planning and the Localism Bill
One of the centrepieces of the Conservative Party's 'Big Society' pledge is the Localism Bill, which aims to hand greater control to local authorities and communities over issues including housing and planning.
While we welcome a move towards greater local engagement, the Bill's reform of planning powers – the biggest shake-up of the system in over 60 years – represents a real threat to the natural environment as it stands. This is because, in handing powers to communities through a new programme known as Neighbourhood Plans, the planning system will lose the overview for strategic planning and sustainable development that we currently have.
If the coalition government is to succeed in being the 'greenest government ever' then it needs to make sure that we have sustainable development and strategic planning that is fair and effective for all. We are calling on the UK Government to ensure that rules on sustainability that apply to national planning are extended to cover the new system.