Fight green field development

I NOTE with interest that as the time approaches for the release of the ‘Sites and Policies Document’ related to the proposed ‘Core Strategy’ plan for housing development, that letters of concern have once more begun to appear in the paper.

This has been a concern of UKIP for some time, and therefore earlier in year following a statement made by Nick Boles MP, minister for housing. I along with a number of friends wrote to Kevin Barron our local MP for clarification, which he passed on to Mr Boles.

Following is an extract from the reply — “Thank you for your letter of 11th March about national planning policy on the use of brownfield land.

“This Government has been clear the country must use brownfield land for development wherever possible. Our policy — set out in the National Planning Policy Framework — requires local authorities to encourage re-use of brownfield provided that it is not of high environmental value. Brownfield is making a major contribution to meeting our development needs: we are selling off surplus public sector brownfield for housing, and extending permitted development rights to help bring thousands of redundant buildings back into use.”

I feel the above statement is quite clear. The priority of what to develop and where lies with the local authority, and it is they who need to stand up to the planning inspector should he attempt to force them into a different course of action. Let’s see if Labour possesses a backbone rather than a wish bone. Be sure to hold your local councillor and MP to account, the next elections are not too far away.

UKIP has always been clear and unambiguous on this issue; we do not and will not support green field site development until all brownfield sites have been exhausted.

Allen Cowles, Sitwell Ward