Local Green Space for Winnersh
Liberal Democrat Councillor for Winnersh ward Learn more
by Prue Bray on 26 March, 2011
Conservative MP Greg Clark, Minister for Decentralisation, issued a very worrying statement on 23rd March on the subject of speeding up planning decisions and pushing councils to decide more often in favour of developers. You can read the full statement here:
The most worrying bit? The point at which he suggested EXISTING and AGREED developer contributions should be renegotiated downwards:
“To further ensure that development can go ahead, all local authorities should reconsider, at developers’ request, existing section 106 agreements that currently render schemes unviable, and where possible modify those obligations to allow development to proceed; provided this continues to ensure that the development remains acceptable in planning terms.”
You want roads and schools, affordable housing and community facilities when you get massive housing development? Seems like the Conservatives in government are happy to wave goodbye to it. Not good for Wokingham. At all.
3 Comments
Thanks Prue for highlighting this.
As you say, worrying.
Goodness knows what the Conservatives in government are thinking of. I know the construction industry has been going through tough times, but it seems the Conservatives are happy for developers to be allowed to do what they want, rather than getting them to build what’s appropriate for an area. And if they do build something, they have to provide the school places, roads, playgrounds etc as well for the people who live in their houses. Because the public sector and local government doesn’t have the money!
[…] Bray, who is a Lib Dem Councillor in Berkshire, has pointed out a rather worrying statement on March 23rd by Conservative MP Greg Clark, the Coalition minister for […]