There’s an amount of irony to the statement from Vince Cable in yesterdays Telegraph, that people who object to government plans to make building in the countryside easier are “semi-hysterical”. This is after all the same Vince Cable who has reportedly made such statements as “I have declared war on Rupert Murdoch and I believe we’re going to win”.

The National Trust certainly doesn’t agree with Mr Cables sentiment, having launched a petition asking for a very sensible balance to be struck between development, heritage and protection of our green places. The petition asks respondents to agree with the statement:

‘Planning is for people, not for profit’
I believe that the planning system should balance future prosperity with the needs of people and places – therefore I support the National Trust’s calls on the government to stop and rethink its planning reforms.

To learn more about the governments proposals under the draft National Planning Policy Framework and the opposition from the National Trust please see Mobilising our members over planning reform and sign the petition if you are also in opposition.

The National Trust’s cautionary approach to this to something I support – too much is at risk to get this wrong. Whilst this is currently an English proposal, these things spread…