Government-Imposed Housing Expansion Figures Condemned By Lib Dems

9.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 21st Nov 2006

West Worcestershire's Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, Richard Burt, has joined Liberal Democrat councillors in Worcestershire to condemn new housing expansion figures for the county. The Government preferred option for 59,893 extra houses to be built between 2001 and 2026 was tabled at a meeting of the Regional Planning Partnership on 16th November in Birmingham, and will be subject to local consultation between 8th January and 5th March 2007.

Communities and Local Government Minister, Ruth Kelly's preferred option would require 15,951 new houses to be built in Wychavon, 9,445 in Malvern Hills and 10,485 in Worcester.

Richard Burt said: "This top down approach to housing development makes a mockery of local planning control and drives a coach and horses through Gordon Brown's promises to give power back to local communities.

"It is hard to see how 10,000 extra homes can be built in Worcester without spilling over onto greenfield sites beyond the city boundaries and encroaching on the borders of surrounding villages.

"Planned development in Worcestershire should be guided by local, sustainable housing needs assessments and not dictated by central government. Sympathetic development should aim to strike a balance between the need for affordable new homes, protection of the environment and the unique character of our villages and countryside."