Because there is shortage of affordable housing

When an application for planning permission is refused by the local planning authority, an appeal can be made to the Secretary of State against the decision. However if planning permission is granted either by the local authority or by the Secretary of State (who has no local knowledge) there is no right of appeal. This blatant inequality needs to be removed. In our area there have been totally inappropriate speculative housing developments, granted to a big national builder, when the company appealed to the Secretary of state, after the local planning department deemed the development unsustainable. Currently a planning application for a large housing estate on the field similar to the one shown is going to appeal All we are asking is the same right of appeal for local people as is already given to developers, against a a planning decision with which they are not happy.

Edinburgh is famed for it's beauty and charm and now they want to transform Edinburgh into a city that is as ugly as others filled with these ugly buildings. If this is allowed to go on we will lose our heritage site status. Please help us to stop it NOW

In 2006, the then Chancellor Gordon Brown put into place a plan that would ensure that by 2016, every home built in the UK would be carbon neutral. The plan, which had backing from homebuilders, architects and green campaigners alike, was scrapped by the government earlier this year. The viability of the plan has been demonstrated by architecture firms and homebuilders who have successfully built many carbon neutral homes already in an affordable and practical way. Scrapping this bill is a huge step backward on the UK’s target to live up to the requirements of the Climate Change Act that state that we, as a nation, must reduce our carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. Currently, the CO2 emissions from housing account for almost a third of all of the carbon emissions in the UK, and this figure is set to rise to more than 50% by 2050 if we don’t make drastic changes to the way in which we build our new homes. Homes in Britain are currently, according to an EU study, among the least efficient in Europe when it comes to heating. This means more fossil fuels being used and more greenhouse gases being emitted. If we could reinstate the zero carbon homes plan, we believe that we could make dramatic changes to this, reducing our carbon emissions by up to a third and getting us well on the way to meeting the target for 2050. If you agree, then sign this petition and hopefully with enough voices calling for the same change, the government will listen and see sense.

This feature was an integral part of Stockport people still look up to where the clock once stood to see the time it is nostalgic as well as practical. Sign this petition write to your MP's

I am physically challenged and use an electric wheelchair, I find it increasingly frustrating when I ask why a building is not accessible only to hear that nothing can be done because the building is listed. I completely understand that we need to preserve history and beautiful buildings, but how on earth can I enjoy these buildings if I can't gain access, which is surely a BASIC human right? But here's the thing, its not only for leisure that its affecting me, its affecting me in my work. Not so long ago I had to work in a venue that wasn't accessible because it was listed, even the staff were so frustrated at the situation as it affected not only wheelchair users but also elderly, parents with push chairs and suppliers getting supplies in to the building. Its not fair, the law needs changing and can be changed.

The introduction of car parking fees are capable of destroying years of investment and hard work which has brought New Brighton prosperity, and a reinvigorated economy. The most popular answer in a poll undertaken to ask why people like New Brighton is "Free Parking", next "the best beaches this side of Anglesey"! New Brighton was dying only 10 years ago, but we and the council managed to attract investment from "Neptune development" It might be best to not waste all that time and money by returning to 10 years ago

J.A. Campbell architect . Building some of Glasgow's finest Victorian inner city architecture should be protected or at least sensitively redesigned for a modern city amenity rather than being demolished. It lies within the Central Glasgow conservation area, so in principle its demolition should not be approved.

Visibility is poor on this junction, particularly turning from Farm Lane towards Minsterley. Children cross this road to wait for the Mary Webb School & Science College bus and Minsterley Motors bus service; they need to be, and to feel, safe. Motorcyclists and car drivers leaving Minsterley see this stretch of the A488 as an opportunity to accelerate, often not respecting even the 60mph limit, which is already too high for this junction. Similarly, Farm Lane serves the whole of the Snailbeach/Stiperstones region and this creates a lot of traffic in the rush hour and tourist season, including bicycles and pedestrians. In term time, there are often children walking up and down Farm Lane. Many drivers approach the last bend towards the Plox Green junction at high speeds. Residents often hear squealing of wheels and brakes on the main road and Farm Lane. Residents have witnessed several accidents on both the A488 junction at Plox Green, and on the approach to the bridge by the junction on Farm Lane, Plox Green. Also, cars coming down the Hope Valley sometimes do not note that vehicles are turning up towards Snailbeach. There has been at least one accident, and much driver stress, waiting to turn right and watching in the rear view mirror as vehicles approach at high speed from Hope. There was much successful improvement made to the road 20 years ago to reduce the number of accidents. This means that cars can now travel at much higher speeds at less risk to themselves. However, there is now a greater risk to vehicles emerging from Snailbeach direction, and children, cyclists, bus users, and tourists. This is a residential cross roads. Please help us bring down the speed limit on this junction.

If this development is allowed to go ahead unchallenged it will declare an open season for developers encroaching on protected land. Part of the development is classified as brown fields as it is on the site of the Molins factory in Haw Lane. This was originally a wartime dispersal factory which was placed here with the promise that when it was demolished it would be returned to farmland- a promise that has conveniently been ignored. The factory was situated so that it was not easily visible from the road and rail links through the valley. The new proposal, however, covers far more than the Molins site. It takes a sweep up almost to the crest of Slough Hill, one of a ridge of hills forming the south side of the Risborough gap. It will be highly visible and despoil what is at present and undeveloped area. The hamlet of Saunderton will become a dormitory village. The most concerning part of this proposal is that this is within the Chilterns AONB. Of all the AONB in the country, the Chilterns, just 30 miles from London, is likely to be under most pressure. Other AONB within the London commuter belt (such as those in Berkshire) will also come under sustained threat. A strong swell of disagreement with these plans would warn other developers and councils from making further outrageous proposals.

Many people are now having to seek private rented accommodation, due to there being a lack of social housing. They are being exploited by rogue, and greedy landlords, who can get away with mistreating tenants because they don`t have anywhere else to go. It`s common to read: NO DSS, NO PETS and NO CHILDREN ! Are people on benefits commiting a crime by having to accept benefits ?? Landlords are able to dictate terms, increase the rent and give you short notice to leave. We need to have affordable and secure tenancies, not expensive private lets. Previous, and existing governments, have created this dilemma, and they have admitted to relying on private landlords to fill in the gap. Right to buy is brilliant for the people that can take advantage of this opportunity, but, if there is no plan to replace these properties, they are lost to anyone wanting to rent for ever. I believe that the revenue from the right to buy was used to help pay off the national debt; which is very short sighted, and has resulted in the dire situation we have in the housing market now. I would like to reiterate, please, can we have some COMMON SENSE used before any government policies are implemented ?

In the longer run it will be cheaper, allow for more open democracy, less pomp and ceremony and rebalance to country away from its London-centric attitude