Unlike most government reforms, the impact of the planning changes is forever | Simon Jenkins

The planning changes are causing pandemonium – damaging democracy and scarring the countryside with thousands of new homes

As of today England comes under a new planning regime. Its purpose is brutally simple: to release for potential building the 60% of England's land area that is unprotected countryside. Nothing like it has been seen since the 1940s. It is clear that only designated national parks will enjoy full safeguarding.

Like most of this government's reforms – from the health service t...