South Yorkshire mayor wants control over major planning decisions

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 8 Oct, 15:37 · Archive

South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard says he should decide major planning applications rather than central government.

South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard has said he wants greater power over major planning applications, arguing that decisions should be made locally rather than by central government departments.

Coppard cited the Whitestone Solar Farm as a prime example. He described the project as enormous, covering an area equivalent to 2,000 football pitches on prime farming territory within the green belt. The decision on whether to approve it currently rests with the secretary of state for climate and net zero.

Coppard said he opposes the solar farm and that the local community is largely against it. He argued that the bigger a planning application is, the more important it becomes that local people have input into the decision. He suggested that central government should have to justify why it retains power over such decisions rather than devolving them to South Yorkshire.

How it is being reported

• Mayor wants power to decide on major solar farmOliver Coppard talks solar farms, food poverty and football.BBC South Yorkshire · 8 Oct, 14:56
• Mayor says it should be him who decides on future of solar farm projectMayor says it should be him who decides on future of solar farm projectRotherham Advertiser · 6 Oct, 15:20

In this story: Oliver Coppard · South Yorkshire · Whitestone Solar Farm

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