MPs back special planning procedure law

Friday 13 November 2009

The three-ruling parties and opposition VVD Liberals back the cabinet's plan to drastically shorten planning procedures for roads, housing and wind turbines in an effort to boost the construction sector, Nos tv reports.

If approved by parliament, the law is due to come into effect in January and will result in a multi-billion euro stimulus for the economy, its supporters say.

The draft legislation states the old planning laws will be brought back into effect in 2014 but Nos says Christian Democrat MPs would like to lift the restrictions permanently.

The left-wing green party GroenLinks and Liberal democrats D66 are opposed to the temporary change. The law 'uses the excuse of combatting the crisis to give a free hand to all sorts of controversial projects which divide society,' GroenLinks MP Kees Vendrik said. D66 said the plan is 'legally peverse'.

Some 60 projects have so far been listed for speedier planning procedures but MPs want to include a further 15 or so.

© DutchNews.nl

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