Burt's Warning At 'Question Time' On Housing Plans

8.49.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 15th Sep 2009

Richard Burt joined the panel for a 'Question Time' evening to discuss mass housing plans at Broadheath Village Hall.

The event was organised by village housing action group, SaEV (Save Elgar's Village) and was chaired by Ian Smith.

Richard warned that any delay in completion of the next local development plan beyond July 2011, when the current plan expires, runs a significant risk of "planning by appeal", when any developer can build wherever they like because the existing plan designating land use has expired.

"Malvern Hills District Council's own planning officers accept that there could be up to 75% risk of inappropriate planning permission granted on appeal if the current plan expires without a new plan in place," said Richard.

"Delaying the local plan will not change or slow down the Government's Regional Housing Strategy by one single day.

"It will still contain the 24,500 extra houses voted for by local Conservative Councils."

Mr Burt also said that Conservative proposals on housing should come with a "Local Government health warning" and that people should "read the small print".

"The Conservatives intend to penalise local authorities who do not build more homes by reducing their Government grant settlement to spend on other services.

"Using a big stick to drive up house building is hardly the way to deliver local, sustainable housing development," said Richard.

He added that all communities and all parties must continue to work together locally to provide an alternative vision for housing development in South Worcestershire to the "disaster in waiting" that was currently on the table.