The British Retail Consortium and the Council for the Protection of Rural England are asking the government to rethink proposals for planning reform in England. The two organisations, which have often opposed each other in the past, have teamed up to oppose the government's planning green paper, Planning: delivering a fundamental change, said CPRE director Kate Parminter She said: "We both share serious concerns. Some of the proposals look certain to undermine, rather than improve, good planning." The BRC and the CPRE agree that the green paper does not tackle a lack of resources for town and country planning, and does not cover penalties for developers who abuse the planning system. They believe the proposals will reduce the transparency of existing arrangements, and tariffs on development could hinder regeneration. BRC director general Bill Moyes said: "Retailers alongside the CPRE recognise that planning is an essential tool, but it needs to be properly managed and resourced. "Democracy, participation, transparency and certainty must underlie any reform." {{NEWS }}