<b></b>The impact of planning obligations results in money heavily influencing planning decisions, according to a new report by the RICS Foundation. <br><b>The research shows that planners find themselves in a difficult position - on the one hand planning gain is important at cash-strapped councils, on the other they are under pressure to operate a system which should use functional criteria to arrive at decisions.</b><br><b>The ethical basis of planning is therefore being put under strain and there is greater potential to build infrastructure in areas of development pressure. &amp;“This may lead to evermore intensive development in the south east,&amp;” says author John Henneberry. </b><br><b><br> </b><br>