Nuneaton’s MP Marcus Jones and North Warwickshire MP Dan Byles have today declared that the controlling Labour group at Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council have lost control over local planning and are now putting local people at immediate risk of unwanted development.
The scathing comments have come from the two local MPs after recent decisions taken by planning inspectors have seen developments in Keresley and Weddington given the go-ahead - against the wishes of local people – with both decisions made by inspectors because the council not have demonstrated a sufficient housing supply to satisfy the housing target that the council’s Labour own cabinet agreed.
They both firmly believe that the Town Hall’s controlling Labour group’s inability to set a local plan to satisfy the 7,900 house target laid down by the controlling Labour group. Despite being advised to do so by the Secretary of State for communities and Local Government over 20 months ago, has left local people across the borough hanging out to dry and at risk of a raft of large scale planning proposals led by developers that could get the green light regardless of local views.
The most recent decision affecting Weddington has strengthened Marcus Jones view that the floodgates have well and truly been opened to unplanned development. Marcus said,
“I have been concerned about the lack action by the Council’s controlling councillors, by consistently shifting the goalposts and refusing to come forward with a local plan they are putting communities at real risk of unplanned unwanted development. Without proper holistic consideration of the wider community issues such as roads, air quality, schools and health provision. The Labour council have treated the Weddington people shambolicly and if they don’t move quickly to close off this route for developers, I fear for the people in St Nicolas, Galley Common and Whitestone will be under threat from development on countryside land."
Dan Byles MP for Bedworth added,
“This is completely unacceptable under the last Government Labour wanted to impose 13,800 houses on the borough, I am glad that the Conservatives did not agree to that when they were in control at the Town Hall and resisted implementing that huge target. Labour regained the Council in May 2010 and were told by the new Government that they could set their own housing target and local plan based on local circumstances. Labour have now had over 20 months to achieve that and all we have to show is a rushed target, set without consultation and no local plan to demonstrate land supply - laying us completely open developer led planning. I now fear for the future of the Woodlands."