We must protect rural communities from inappropriate, infrastructure-poor expansion. Planning is not merely about where we build—it is about who we are as a nation.
Residents see local plans overturned, neighbourhood plans ignored, decisions made under duress, and appeals upheld in ways that feel opaque, unfair, and costly.
Those elected in 2027 will set the tone, priorities, and structures for the councils that follow. Their decisions will determine how services are delivered, how communities are represented, and how new councils engage with residents.
There is logic in a single council offering residents a one-stop shop, bringing Planning and Highways together.