CORNISH MPs RENEW CALLS TO SCRAP REGIONAL HOUSING TARGETS (Julia Goldsworthy)

Julia Goldsworthy <info@juliagoldsworthy.org>

CORNISH MPs RENEW CALLS TO SCRAP REGIONAL HOUSING TARGETS

November 2, 2009 6:00 PM

Falmouth and Camborne MP Julia Goldsworthy has tabled a Parliamentary Motion calling on the Government to scrap the unpopular Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS), which proposes to build thousands of new houses in Cornwall.

She warned that planning inspectors can use the draft strategy to overrule planning applications that local councils may have rejected - even though the document is yet to be finalised and approved by Government. Recent correspondence from the Planning Inspector confirms this is the case.

She said: "The views of local people on regional housing targets have been completely ignored, and that it what is so outrageous. Now it is clear that planning inspectors are using the draft strategy to override local views on the appropriateness of local planning applications.

"The whole process is completely discredited and unpopular. Instead of trying to impose their plans through the back door, the Government should abandon them altogether, and instead allow local people to decide and determine their own priorities.

The current draft of the Regional Spatial Strategy in the South West provoked more than 30,000 objections. Many of these were in Julia's own constituency, where 11,000 houses are planned. Local residents in Camborne, Redruth, Pool and Illogan are concerned that their communities will be reduced to one urban sprawl, and that not enough jobs will be created to support the scale of housing that is planned.

But Julia said the latest revelation showed that the Government was intent on imposing its views on local people. The MP for Falmouth and Camborne said it was now time for the Government scrap the RSS altogether, saying that local people are best placed to identify how their housing needs should best be met.

"The Government's centralist proposals override the needs of local people, but the Conservative approach is no better. Under their plans, council decisions on housing development would be driven by the prospect of cash bonuses. Both approaches spell disaster for communities, and would put local needs at the bottom of the priority list."

Dan Rogerson, MP for North Cornwall, added:

"The use of the draft document by the Planning Inspector further underlines the anti-democratic nature of the entire regional spatial strategy process - and could result in planning decisions going against the wishes of local authorities and communities.

"It seems as if the Government are determined to keep ignoring the concerns of tens of thousands of people in Cornwall and the South West who are completely against these top down plans to force high numbers of unaffordable new properties on them."