Denis MacShane steps into planning applications row

ROTHERHAM MP Denis MacShane has joined public protests over moves to scrap rules requiring that planning applications have to be advertised in newspapers.

Dr MacShane raised the issue in the house after Advertiser editor Doug Melloy wrote to all three of the borough's MPs warning of the impact that the proposed changes could have on how well the public was informed about controversial plans and on the future of the local media.

At the moment, councils are required by law to put adverts in newspapers like the Advertiser when certain kinds of plans are up for discussion, but the Government is consulting on the possibility of changing the rules.

In future, Rotherham Borough Council and other local authorities may only have to advertise applications on the Internet for three weeks and not through other outlets—a move which critics fear could allow them to "hide" unpopular plans and could also damage newspapers' income.

Dr MacShane took the issue up in the House of Commons with housing minister Ian Austin this week, asking: "On the narrow point about planning guidelines and applications, is the Minister aware of the widespread concern that there are proposals to put them only on the Internet in future and not to print them to be published on lampposts and hedgerows or in local papers?

"Will he assure me that the Government and his department will seek to maintain printed publication of planning applications, so that all our constituents can see them in their local papers?"

Mr Austin replied: "We have an open consultation on this issue at the moment, and we will consider my right honourable friend's point carefully.

"If he would like to meet me or my colleagues to discuss it in more detail, we would be delighted."

Mr Melloy said he appreciated Dr MacShane's interest in the issue and would be happy to travel to London to discuss it with MPs if required, adding: "I am very passionate about this issue, more so about retaining every opportunity to inform the public about planning applications than any possible loss of revenue, especially as there are concerns locally that potentially controversial proposals could be buried away while still conforming to minimum requirements."