Gordon Brown Rejects Plea To Suspend Housing Plans

5.47.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 8th Jun 2009

West Worcestershire's Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate, Richard Burt has received a response from the Prime Minister's Office to his petition on the No 10 website calling for the suspension of Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) plans for housing development in South Worcestershire.

Mr Burt's petition was signed by over 850 people and closed on 3rd April.

The No 10 response, copied to all petitioners, rejected the call, saying:

"The Government does not agree with the proposition that regional housing targets determined through the RSS should be suspended.

"The Government is committed to regional planning and allocation of housing numbers to the district level through the existing RSS system."

Mr Burt said he was "disappointed, but not surprised by the result."

"Gordon Brown said he would be a listening Prime Minister. Well he clearly isn't listening when it comes to mass housing plans that would amount to environmental vandalism in South Worcestershire.

The Lib Dem candidate will chair the next meeting of the recently formed South Worcestershire Housing Action. Group on this Thursday 11th June, starting 7.30pm at the The Bell, Broadheath.

"The fight to reject these ridiculous, unsustainable housing plans goes on.

"We will be presenting in draft form an alternative vision for sustainable housing development based on employment prospects and local need.

"Anyone concerned with these housing developments is welcome to attend."