Housing minister defends planning changes

Changes to the planning system in England, which are expected to make it easier to gain consent for large-scale projects, come into effect on Tuesday.

Opponents say the changes will weaken environmental protections and increase sprawl.

But housing minister Greg Clark said the changes would make it easier for people "to protect the places they want to see protected."

He told the BBC the large amount of planning guidance meant it was "very hard for people in communities to engage with the planning system".