The Conservative Party this week claimed it forced a government U-turn on the Planning Bill by strong-arming it into a last-minute amendment on sub-regional consultation.
Regeneration minister Lord Rooker tabled an amendment in the House of Lords on Tuesday that gives bodies such as county councils greater influence over regional planning policy.

The amendment takes on board Conservative concerns over local accountability.

The Tories say it will give local people more say over development in their area.

Lord Hanningfield, Conservative planning spokesman in the Lords, said the move would ensure a democratic and local element to the planning system.

But others said the Tories had caved in on other issues, such as giving regional planning powers to every region, not just those with directly elected assemblies.

Matthew Green, shadow ODPM spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, said: "They've thrown away a real opportunity to make the system more democratically accountable."

The Planning Bill is due to get royal assent today.

Source

Housing Today