Last night I attended the Vale's Development Control Committee (planning to you and me). One of the applications in an unusually short agenda gave the perfect example of how the Lib Dem's planning policies hinder rather than foster our rural economy.The application in question was for the conversion of an agricultural building in Ardington for use as a storage facility for a local business. Now first of all, let me set the record straight - I voted against the application on the night based on the policy that was in force. I think that policy is wrong, as I argue below, but it is the Council's agreed position and as a member of the committee I feel obliged to uphold the rules as they still exist. That said I think this particular policy is madness and should be changed.The nub of the problem is that large parts of the rural Vale are classified by the Council as being 'unsustainable'. This is a strange term, which if taken literally, seems to suggest that the Council believes these communities will cease to exist in a few years time. Virtually no development is allowed in these so called 'unsustainable' communities, strangling new rural businesses at birth. I certainly would not want to concrete over every village in the Vale, but every one of our communities must be allowed to thrive and grow. A few houses in a village can help the local pub, village shop or post office to survive. A new business can employ local people and generate much needed income. The countryside should not be allowed to become a pastiche of rural tranquillity, our rural communities are real, living and thriving places.A former Lib Dem Chairman of the planning committee actually said last night that he would not want to see redundant buildings all across the Vale suddenly being developed as businesses. Really? That is something I would very much like to see happen. Bringing redundant buildings into use should be top of the Council's list of priorities, much better for the environment than permitting new buildings, and they would inevitably generate employment and activity in some of the communities that need it the most.