Craig Tracey the Member of Parliament for North Warwickshire and Bedworth spoke in a debate in Parliament on neighbourhood planning and house building this week. In the debate the local representative raised current concerns in the Dordon and Polesworth area as well as that in the Keresley and Fillongley communities.
Craig said:
“Areas such as Keresley and Fillongley in my constituency live in constant fear that a perceived demand for housing, particularly under the duty to co-operate with larger neighbouring councils, puts their green belt at risk of being developed on.
“One of the key messages that I receive regularly from parish councils is that the calculation of housing needs seems to be over-inflated and does not reflect actual requirements, especially when local borough councils have met their supply targets. There is a real threat that predominantly rural areas such as North Warwickshire, which, as I have said, are annexed by much larger authorities, will be forced to develop on their green belt to meet the needs of other areas. That cannot be fair… as a result of the referendum in June, the Government is committed to a system of controlled immigration, so it is reasonable to assume that that number may no longer be a true reflection of need once the Brexit negotiation is concluded.
“I would therefore like the Minister to consider including a further measure in the Bill: a pause on green-belt development unless there is a specific request from local residents. That would enable a review of the demand that our councils will face, which is surely difficult to estimate until the exact nature of what Bexit will look like.”
Mr Tracey went on to cite the recent proposals in Dordon and Polesworth as a need for guarantees over providing new amenities and infrastructure for growing communities:
“A good example is Dordon and Polesworth in my constituency, where 3,000 new houses have been proposed… It is important that residents always have an input on potential new schools, roads, doctors’ surgeries and other local services. With that in mind, I ask the Minister to ensure that the provision of infrastructure and amenities is always a key consideration for local authorities when granting planning consent, and that when there is any significant house building the sustainability of the area is at the forefront of the design plans.”
In regards to the Neighbourhood Planning Bill which was being debated, Craig Tracey MP explained:
“There can be no doubt that there is a need for housing nationally, but it is vital that it is delivered in a way that is not only sustainable, but that complements and enhances our local areas. I am therefore supportive of the key aims of the Bill. There should always be a balanced approach between providing the right number of houses and affording our local communities the opportunity to improve their infrastructure while retaining their identity. The Bill goes someway to addressing that balance by giving local people real control over their future, and I will support it tonight. However, I asked that due consideration be given to the important concerns that I raised.”