Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [Lords]

I want to speak briefly to support my right hon. Friend the Member for Hitchin and Harpenden (Mr. Lilley). Planning should be about good planning. If we consider what is happening in our area—my constituency neighbours that of my right hon. Friend to the east—we can see that good planning is not what is happening. The Government have said that they want Luton to expand and they also want Stevenage to expand. These towns are very close to one another. They are not big cities with great hinterlands or anything like that. If that is to happen—although I think it is a grave mistake—it has to be done in the most careful way. There are proposals for a massive development west of Stevenage, and Luton council has said, "Yes, let's have a massive development east of Luton." Our part of Hertfordshire could become like the west midlands—each community will blend with the next, and we will end up with a complete sprawl. The Government should be ashamed of what is happening to a wonderful county like Hertfordshire when they have had all these years to produce a good planning system. My right hon. Friend the Member for Hitchin and Harpenden is bringing forward a sensible proposal that would stop a council like Luton doing something as foolish as closing the gaps between itself, the Stevenage conurbation and the town of Hitchin. Why should it be able to do that, especially as no proper consultation has been undertaken? I spoke to the chief executive of North Hertfordshire district council about this only recently. The council has had to complain to Luton about the fact that it has not been involved in any sensible discussion. It is an example of terribly poor planning, and I therefore support new clause 1.