England's planning policies may be reformed based on national versus local interests and needs, as the country attempts to secure deals with major international corporations.
This story is about the difficulties major corporations like Pfizer and Ikea have faced in obtaining local planning permission to develop in parts of the UK. Local opposition to the siting of these companies has encouraged many of them to abandon plans to expand in the UK and locate elsewhere in Europe. As a result, the UK is losing out on economic growth to competing countries. It is also suggestted that the policy changes introduced by Labour government in this article would effectively drown out local opposition in favor of "national" interests. Local public participation or educational programs are clearly not on the agenda.
[Editor's note: Story summary written by Annie Cruz-Porter.]
Thanks to Annie Cruz-Porter
FULL STORY: Pfizer shuns UK for Germany to escape planning shambles
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UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
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Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research