Campaigners to Challenge Countryside Housing Plan
Countryside campaigners are to challenge Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott in the House of Lords over his plans to allow thousands of new homes to be built in the heart of England.
The row centres over the Government's bid to set up an Urban Development Corporation for West Northamptonshire, which it is claimed would result in enormous growth in the area.
The problem is that powers to set up UDCs introduced under the Thatcher Government were aimed at helping large rundown metropolitan areas in need of regeneration, not towns such as Towcester and Daventry.
A Lords select committee will hear the arguments against the move put forward by the Campaign to Protect Rural England.
It is expected that Lord Rooker, Minister in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, will also give evidence at the committee next Monday October 25.
Julie Stainton, national planning campaigner at the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said today: "Without this challenge, the Government could have set up an unelected body to drive through massive growth in West Northamptonshire before the Deputy Prime Minister announces his decision on whether - and what - growth is appropriate.
"These growth proposals - part of the Milton Keynes and South Midlands draft Sub-regional Strategy are still awaiting the final stage of public consultation. A final decision cannot be made before the end of this year."
The CPRE is concerned that the move makes a mockery of the public consultation process which has not yet started on plans for growth areas.
It also fears that it pre-empts the decision of the Deputy Prime Minister which should take into account the response to the public consultation yet to come on whether and what growth is appropriate.
They also claim it threatens democratic accountability as the Government has made it clear that it intends to transfer planning powers from the directly elected planning authority to an unelected UDC.
The House of Lords must give permission to set up a UDC and this cannot now be sought until its select committee has reached recommendations on the relevant Order.
In the meantime, the proposed West Northamptonshire UDC cannot be established.
Julie Stainton said: "The independent Panel which conducted the Public Examination into the growth area proposals criticised the speed with which plans were drawn up and the resulting errors and inconsistencies.
"Yet the Government risks rushing ahead again in pursuit of growth regardless of the environmental consequences.
"CPRE is concerned that the growth proposals in the Communities Plan will be environmentally damaging and could consume large sums of money - which could have been better spent on direct solutions to meet affordable housing need."
Scotsman.com , 21st October 2004
