Our MP Peter Ainsworth will be coming to the Inspector's meeting on Thursday.
A few days ago he had this to say:
House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA
For immediate release: 20th March 2008
Developers Come out of the Closet
Responses from building companies to the Tandridge District Council Consultation on the Local Development Framework have revealed the extent of their ambition to build on the Green Belt and add to the pressure on local services.
Village Developments plc have their eyes on two sites in Oxted, which together would lead to the building of 650 new homes on greenfield sites.
Asprey Homes are eyeing up the Occasionally Yours garden shop in Lingfield Common Road, Lingfield, with a view to replacing a popular local facility with 45 more houses.
Clifford W & R C Shrimplin, the planning consultants, and their as yet undisclosed clients, have also made it known that they are interested in the possibilities of developing Redhill Aerodrome.
Arena Leisure, owners of Lingfield Racecourse, are arguing that Tandridge Council's proposals are flawed because they do not earmark Lingfield for more housing.
East Surrey MP Peter Ainsworth comments:
"It is important to remember that what we have here is a wish-list from the building industry; these are not planning applications. However, it would be easy to get the impression that the building industry is trying to arm itself for a full scale blitz on the local environment."
"What the builders need to understand is that our schools are full; our roads are full; there is growing difficulty with parking; our local NHS services are struggling to cope."
"The Green Belt was established to protect open land around London; exactly the kind of land that these people want to cover with asphalt."
"We all recognise the need for affordable homes for local families; but how many of the new homes these companies want to build will fall into that category?"
"I want to see homes built to meet genuine need, not greed."
"And it is vital that the Green Belt is respected."
"At least by declaring their hand, the builders have come out of the closet. I am sure that Local Councillors will join with me and a huge majority of residents in wanting to see them pushed firmly back inside."
"It is essential that the Government appointed Inspector who will examine Council's balanced and reasonable strategy is left in no doubt about the strength of local feeling on these issues."
Any residents with concerns should write to:
Bob Evans
Director of Planning
Tandridge District Council
Station Road East
Oxted
Surrey RH8 0BT
-ENDS-
Press contact: 020 7219 5151
Notes to Editors:
In December 2007 the Council submitted the Core Strategy Development Plan Document to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State has appointed an independent Inspector Mr David Vickery Dip TP MRTPI to conduct a Public Examination to consider the soundness of the Plan.
Two initial meetings have been called by the Inspector before the actual hearing sessions, which are scheduled to take place in June/July 2008. The first is an Exploratory Meeting (EM) on 3 April 2008 and the second is a Pre-Examination Meeting (PEM) on 22 April 2008. These are explained in more detail below so that you can decide whether you wish to attend them.
Strutt and Parker
Asprey Homes Limited
Village Developments Plc
Village Developments Plc
Arena Leisure Plc
Clifford W & R C Shrimplin
