Public Participation, Local Planning and Conflicts of Interest

Abstract

During the 12 years that the formal system of public participation in town and country planning has been in operation, two views of the likely outcome of its introduction have been consistently advanced. On the one hand participation has been seen as a device to achieve consensus which would in tum lead to public support for planning proposals and reduce administrative delays. Reference to official government publications such as the Town and Country Planning (Development Plans) Direction 1965; the Report of the Planning Advisory Group 1965; the Town and Country Planning Acts of 1968 and 1971 and associated circulars, e.g. 44/71; 52/72; 55/77, and 4/79, and the Skeffington Report would seem to confirm that consensus is implicit in the planner’s perception of public participation. The other view of the implications of introducing participation into the town and country planning process is that it inevitably leads to conflicts of interest and results in a change in the balance of power insofar as the taking of decisions on local issues is concerned.

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