Daily Telegraph video: "Simpler and more accessible planning system needed, says minister"

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"A report by the Local Government Committee looking at the Government's planning reforms has suggested that the reforms are biased in favour of developers.

"The Prime Minister wants to stimulate growth and cut red tape by cutting 1,300 pages of planning guidance to just 52 in the new National Planning Policy Framework."

BBC: "Rewrite planning rules to end 'confusion', say MPs"

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"MPs are calling on the government to rewrite its controversial changes to planning rules in England, removing the default 'yes' to development.

"Ministers say a simplified planning system is needed to boost growth and encourage sustainable development.

"But the Commons communities committee says in a report that a 'fetish' with streamlining the planning process could slow it down by creating ambiguity."

Independent on Sunday: "The true scale of Britain's woodland sell-off"

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"Thousands of hectares of Britain's forests have been sold off by the Forestry Commission (FC), as it struggles to meet financial targets imposed by successive governments.

"A detailed inventory of woodland sold off by the FC, which is charged with protecting our forests for future generations, shows that it has raked in millions from sales to private companies, many of which hold licences to carry out logging. Campaigners complain that several buyers have barred the public from newly acquired woodland, despite signing legally binding contracts saying they will preserve traditional rights of access.

Daily Telegraph: "Countryside at risk under latest plans to downgrade planning laws"

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"George Osborne, the Chancellor, is expected to announce a review of the Habitats Regulations that protect huge swathes of precious landscape.

"... Sources close to the Department for the Environment believe the review will bring the regulations in line with the controversial National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and propose a ‘presumption in favour of sustainable development’ over rules of strict regulations.

"Mike Clarke, Chief Executive of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, said the habitats regulations have protected the countryside for almost 20 years."