Labour MP Matthew Pennycook has defended the Government's new planning reforms, insisting that local communities will retain their right to object to developments.
Speaking to GB News, Pennycook emphasised that "no one is saying that the views of local communities should be ignored".
The defence comes as part of Labour's broader initiative to streamline planning processes for major infrastructure projects across the UK.
The Government plans to reduce the number of legal challenges allowed against major infrastructure projects from three to one for "cynical cases lodged purely to cause delay."
Matthew Pennycook said that they are not ignoring local communities
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Speaking to GB News, Pennycook said: "No one is saying that the views of local communities, local people up and down the country, should be ignored under any of the changes we're making. People will still have a right to object to planning applications.
"They will keep the right to challenge the lawfulness of government decisions. What we're saying today is that as part of our plan for change, we've got to kick start economic growth.
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"We've got to streamline the delivery of the critical national infrastructure that our country needs, whether that's energy, transport or aviation projects.
"We already made a number of changes to national planning policy last year to aid with that objective. We're making further changes to the planning and infrastructure bill we're bringing forward in the coming months.
"As part of that package, what we're saying today is that your ability to bring forward repeated judicial review permission requests shouldn't be allowed.
"We're going to reduce the number of those permission requests from three to two in most cases. And in cases where a judge says that this challenge has no merit whatsoever from three to one, that will get the delivery of critical national infrastructure speeded up.
Keir Starmer has vowed to defeat what he calls "blockers"
PA"That will have a real world impact. Because, I'm sure your viewers put it to you repeatedly, it is just too difficult to get anything built in this country."
The changes follow recommendations from Lord Banner KC's review of legal challenges against major building projects.
Lord Banner said: "I saw broad consensus from claimants to scheme promoters that a quicker system of justice would be in their interests, provided that cases can still be tried fairly."
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has vowed to defeat what he calls "blockers" who are preventing the UK from completing vital infrastructure projects.
The government plans to reduce the number of legal challenges allowed against major infrastructure project
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"For too long, blockers have had the upper hand in legal challenges – using our court processes to frustrate growth," Starmer said.
He added: "We're putting an end to this challenge culture by taking on the NIMBYs and a broken system that has slowed down our progress as a nation."
The Prime Minister described the reforms as "taking the brakes off Britain by reforming the planning system so it is pro-growth and pro-infrastructure."
According to the government, projects that have faced significant delays include the Sizewell C nuclear plant, the A47 national highway project and new windfarms in East Anglia.
