The Government has accepted amendments put forward by Labour rebel, Clive Betts, to its controversial Planning Bill. The Bill faced growing opposition in the House of Commons, but the CLG has now agreed to include two sets of amendments. One will mean the proposed Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) will have to take into account a report by the local council about what the local community thinks before making a decision. The IPC will also have to hold a public hearing whenever a developer applies for a compulsory purchase order. The grounds on which ministers could intervene to remove decisions from the IPC has also been extended.
