Controversy over planning law reform following leaked email

Posted 11/09/2011

Planning law reform could be in doubt following the leak of an email that suggested a minister is working closely with industry to push through his proposals.

According to a report by the Daily Telegraph, Greg Clark sent an email to the British Property Federation (BPF) urging the organisation to lobby prime minister David Cameron and back his plans for reform.

The newspaper said the revelation undermines the minister and may make it difficult for the planning law changes to be pushed through.

In the email, Ghislaine Trehearne, the BPF’s policy officer, stated that Mr Clark and his team are concerned the prime minister will back down over the reform due to opposition from the general public.

She wrote that the minister and his backers “are worried that Number 10 might be spooked by this mobilisation of middle England and do the sort of U-turn that they did on the forestry sell-off”.

The newspaper stated that it is “embarrassing” Mr Clark does not appear to trust the government to support his proposals.