Critically examine how a controversial planning decision of your choice has been dealt with through the planning system. In your essay, you should consider the factors that influenced the decision and the role of law, policy and evidence.

1750 words, harvard style referencing needs to be completed within 4 days The assignment involves using an example to explain how the planning system is both a reflection of political decisions and a means of managing local politics. Your essay should consider these issues with reference to the legal and policy instruments which make up the system. You should start by choosing a recently determined planning application or a recently approved local plan document: you are advised to choose an example which raises some clearly contentious issues which relate to points of principle enshrined in policy. Some questions which you may want to think about in your essay: - What were the local politics surrounding the plan/ application (you may need to do some research here into local newspaper coverage and the minutes of the committee which considered the document) - Who was in favour of the proposals and who was against, why? - What were the wider points of principle which were raised? - How was the freedom about which planning strategy to support, or alternatively about whether to grant planning permission, constrained by national legislation and/ or policy? (You should be specific about which legislation and which policies here) How your essay will be marked: - You will achieve marks for displaying a clear and evidenced understanding of how the legal and policy framework, and its evidence requirements, guide and constrain the local plans planners produce OR how it guides and constrains the kinds of decisions planners make on applications for planning permission - Your essay will be judged on the quality of its discussion about the local concerns raised and how the wider legal/ policy framework allowed these to be interpreted and valued - Ability to consider how the values/ politics instituted at the national level have informed the final decision on the local planning policy OR planning application - Ability to convey the above in a clear argument with accompanying evaluation Please note: - This essay is not about what you think the final decision should have been: it asks for analysis of the system as whole - You should pay particular attention to responding tightly to the terms of the assignment as they are worded in the box above - In addition to the above three criteria all the normal essay writing standards listed on the assignment hand-in form will apply