1078

THE WEEKLY WORLD EDITION OF The Daily Telegraph AND The Sunday Telegraph

March 21 - 27 2012 No. 1078

telegraph.co.uk/expat

The Telegraph

JENSON’S FLYER Briton gets brilliant start to Grand Prix season

:: SPORT PAGE 48

Dragons roar Wales win third Grand Slam in eight years

PM goes US The Camerons stay with the Obamas :: NEWS P3

Ten Fortnum & Mason hampers to be won :: FEATURES P26

By Christopher Hope THE construction of more than 14,000 new homes and three wind turbines are planned under controversial government reforms, even though the regulations are yet to be finalised.

The Telegraph has learnt that developers have been routinely applying for permission to build using a draft version of the planning regulations. Council officials have also been using the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) as the basis for future housing developments in their area.

Ministers are expected to make substantial changes to the reforms after a backlash from campaigners.

The final version, which is likely to be published this week, is expected to say that developers must build in town centres before digging up the countryside, and relax the requirement for councils to approve more homes.

Last Thursday, campaigners warned that developers were “chomping at the bit” and said the countryside could suffer “irreparable damage” under the draft plans.

Fiona Howie, the head of planning at the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said: “Developers are giving us a sign of what could be to come. Clearly some developers are looking to pre-empt the publication of the final NPPF and are chomping at the bit to make the most of the more damaging provisions that were contained in the draft document.”

The Government wants to replace more than 1,200 pages of planning guidance with a new 52-page document, to clear red tape and to stimulate development and economic growth.

Campaigners have warned that the draft plans, which include a “presumption in favour of sustainable development”, will give developers a licence to build in the countryside. The Daily Telegraph launched its Hands Off Our Land campaign to urge ministers to rethink the proposals.

In September the Planning Inspectorate was forced to

Continued on page 2

PA

Welsh hero: Leigh Halfpenny celebrates the 16-9 victory over France at the Millennium Stadium last Saturday which sealed the Grand Slam for Wales. The Welsh are now just one behind England’s leading total of 12 Grand Slams. Match report: page 44

By John Bingham DR ROWAN WILLIAMS resigned as Archbishop of Canterbury last Friday with an attack on “dim-witted prejudice” against symbols of Christianity, such as wearing a cross.

His resignation came after he accepted a likely defeat in his efforts to prevent schism in the Church of England.

Hours before his announcement he admitted to senior clerics that the initiative to establish a “rule book” was likely to collapse and spoke of his sense of “foreboding”.

Shortly before a series of votes in dioceses that would likely spell the end of the unity pact on which he staked his credibility, he said that he would step down as leader

Continued on page 2

Euro crisis IMF approve second Greek bail-out :: BUSINESS P33

Supermarket giant becomes first big company to raise retirement age Report, page 11