Martin launches summer challenge to Regional Spatial Strategy (Cheltenham Liberal Democrats)

Cheltenham Liberal Democrats <info@cheltlibdems.org.uk>

Martin launches summer challenge to Regional Spatial Strategy

July 18, 2009 7:00 AM

CHELTENHAM MP Martin Horwood has launched a summer challenge to the government's Regional Spatial Strategy which is still threatening countryside to the south and north-west of Cheltenham.

Martin has negotiated with other MPs across the south-west of England and tabled two early day motions in Parliament condemning the government's plans to vastly increase housebuilding on Green Belt and green field sites. The first motion is based on the manifesto of the new Save Our Green Spaces coalition which has brought together community groups fighting the plans all over the south-west, including Cheltenham's Save the Countryside and LEGLAG. This motion was tabled with the support of Martin's fellow Lib Dem Annette Brooke, Conservatives Gary Streeter and Liam Fox and Labour MPs David Drew and Roger Berry. The motion calls for the regeneration of urban areas to be prioritised over development of green field sites and for the overall number of houses allocated to the south-west to be reduced.

The second motion goes further and calls for the total abandonment of the RSS. It was tabled by Martin again with the support of Lib Dems Annette Brooke and Julia Goldsworthy - a Cornish MP and Lib Dem shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government - along with Tories John Penrose, Gary Streeter and Robert Key.

Martin said: 'the first motion puts pressure on the government now to change their plans and save the countryside around Cheltenham and in many other places across the south-west. I'm delighted that I've been able to secure support from all three parties and that Labour MPs in particular have been prepared to sign up to the demands of the Save Our Green Spaces coalition. I'm very hopeful that this motion will attract the support of the overwhelming majority of south-west MPs and that local campaigners will spend the summer getting pledges to sign from local MPs all over the region.'

'But the second motion puts down an important marker for the future. If the Labour government doesn't budge, and if they lose the forthcoming General Election, we will abandon the RSS altogether. I'm not surprised this motion was a step too far for Labour MPs but it represents a solid commitment to ditch the RSS from both Lib Dems and Conservatives. Thanks to the huge public opposition to the south-west RSS and now the legal challenge in the East of England, there is a real prospect of us being able to delay these plans all the way to the General Election. If that happens, people need to be very clear when they cast their votes for candidates whose parties have clearly and unambiguously pledged to ditch this terrible plan.'

'MPs will soon be returning to their constituencies for the summer recess. I hope local campaigners will take this opportunity to pin down their local MPs and extract a promise to sign at least one of the motions, and preferably both.'