Local business influence

[huncamunca]

Honest non loaded question with no hidden digs at cat owners or guardian readers

Do you think the opinions & demands of local business are given more weight with planning & development issues that the ( probabaly rather less organised ) opinion of residents ?

[pablogrande]

I remember looking into Live/Work properties some time ago and one thing that was mentioned to me is that council tax has to be spent in specific areas within central goverment guidlines but business rates could be used by the councils in more flexible ways which is why councils could favour business over housing issues. Could have been complete tosh but thats what I was told at the time.

[Huguenot]

I don't really know what 'given more weight' would be? Could it even be generalised like that?

I should imagine that the merits of each argument are weighed according to the needs and responsibilities of the entire community.

It seems likely in that context that providing a much needed service to 5,000 residents may take priority over a single vexatious neighbour.

Conversely I can't imagine a planning committee bending over backwards to accommodate another curry house.

So I don't think it's possible to generalise.