Lewisham proposes whatever the opposite of a NIMBY's charter is

Lewisham Council is considering a proposal to cut costs by reducing the quality of local consultation around planning applications.

The Public Accounts Select Committee is due to consider ideas proposed submitted by Head of Planning, John Miller to:

Cease written notification of planning applications to neighbours of proposed developments. It was also being proposed to stop amenity panel meetings and local meetings. 

The proposals would result in a saving through staffing reduction. Other London Boroughs had moved to a system of using site notices to make communities aware of planning applications. 

John Miller advised that the approach had worked in other London Boroughs. However, further work needed to be carried out to ensure that best practice could be replicated in Lewisham.

BC considers itself a pretty pro-development sort of a blog and recognises that the Council needs to find savings and that a strong defence could be mounted for nearly every line of Council expenditure. It's impossible to create a value equation that allows you choose between, say, consultation and refuse collection, but bad developments damage neighbourhoods and digital consultation is of limited use.

The Council has been consulting with local Amenity Groups about the idea and plans to publish a new draft Statement of Community Involvement for consultation within the next year. It needs to make sure people will be adequately consulted before it considers any cuts, especially since cuts to the media team mean that Council information is less forthcoming than it used to be and the email alerts about local applications are erratic at best.

With thanks to JPM and Michael for the information.