Over-development Fears Grow

Liberal Democrats are getting increasingly anxious at the growing threat of over development in Surrey. The Inquiry into the new South East Plan has recommended an increase in housing numbers, with Green Belt reviews in parts of the county. In addition the government has just published a housing Green Paper which makes it clear that Gordon Brown's government wants to see an increase in housing even beyond the levels set out by the Inquiry.

Lib Dem Cllr Ian Beardsmore has responded to the Green Paper raising a range of issues around the chronic lack of infrastructure and questioning whether the government have got their projections right. He is concerned that the paper concentrates too much on small 1 and 2 bed units at the expense of family homes. "We may well not need a huge increase in the sheer quantity of homes" he said "rather what we need is a greater proportion of family homes. The paper lacks the evidence base to sustain their argument for so many small dwellings."

Cllr Beardsmore's submission also tackled those areas where the Conservatives were predictably weak, such as social housing provision and, especially environmental issues where the government's low targets were not challenged by the Tories. "Surrey is in a trap" he said. "On the one hand Tories who talk the talk on protecting the environment, then only do part of the work necessary to defend it, and on the the other hand, a government that sees the South East as a milk cow to bail out its failing policies across the country."