Boris Johnson cries 'nimbyism', but his planning changes will be disastrous | Simon Jenkins

Scrapping regulations in England will unleash a wave of urban sprawl, worsen inequality – and leave locals powerless to stop it

The most extraordinary upheaval in modern British government is to be introduced this week by Boris Johnson. He is, in effect, to end planning permission. Local councils and those they represent are to be stripped of control over new buildings, to be replaced by central government “zoning” commissions. At the weekend, the housing secretary, Robert Jenrick, promised a “ch...