Writing in the Times, David Aaronovitch comments on the BBC2 programme on wind farms highlighting the huge delay anti-turbine campaigners have managed to impose on one small project.
This suggests another planning versus growth conflict to add to the list I provided earlier in the week: Specifically, the conflict between national infrastructure projects and localism
Mr Aarnovitch highlights the NIMBY nature of the objections. I sometimes wonder if this is a label that people are increasingly comfortable being branded with. After all, it's perfectly rational to object to things that have a negative direct impact on your house price while not generating (sic) any direct benefits. Indeed, the debate around the National Ecosystem Assessment makes me wonder whether it's time to encourage more active use of the BANANAs acronym to label those who consistently oppose so much new development.
CEP Urban and Spatial Programme Blog (formerly SERC)
