Bob Seeley MP Admits Opposition of Planning Reform is Just Opposition to Housing Numbers and Embracing Nimbys

Telegraph

Around 100 Conservative MPs are preparing to fight changes this autumn to planning rules which they fear could lead to unsightly development in their constituencies.

On Sunday night Bob Seely, the leader of the group of Conservative MPs fighting the planning reforms, criticised the use of the term “Nimby” by Mr Boys Smith.

He said: “Nimby is a daft term and we should not be using it. Most so-called Nimbys are generally people who care and love their communities and are fed up when they see their communities damaged by the imposition of large, soulless housing estates that are not build for their communities or their kids. 

“Whilst better design is part of the issue, frankly numbers, density and providing homes for local people is just as important. It is not rocket science to understand that when a community has seen 50 or 100 percent population increase – when northern cities have gone through active depopulation over the past 50 years – people get fed up.

“We need a planning Bill that respects and recognises the concerns of communities and seeks to work with them, not impose housing numbers on them. We need a Planning Bill that is community-led, environment-led and levelling-up led.”