This process is definitely corrupt in Dawlish. People who have owned land for years can't get permission to put a house on it. A Developer comes along - buys it cheap, and the members of the Planning Committee are practically throwing roses at him.
By the way when I was a kid and used to watch sit-coms talking about 'The Policeman's Xmas Ball' and 'would you like to make a donation, Sir' - I didn't realize at the time that this meant 'BRIBE ME'!