6,000 HOUSES ON THE GREEN BELT CONFIRMED TORIES COMMIT TO BUILDING PLAN

4.18.00pm GMT Thu 22nd Nov 2007

Ignoring appeals by local Liberal Democrats, Gloucestershire County Council's Tories have stood by plans to build 6,000 houses on the green belt.

At yesterday's meeting of the County Council, a Liberal Democrat motion to check the process was voted down by both Tories and Labour. Tory and Labour votes have approved the building of 6,000 houses on the green belt by 2016.

The four Tory led Councils of Tewkesbury, Cheltenham, Gloucester, and Gloucestershire have recently signed up to what is called a "growth point status bid". This government scheme will commit the councils to building 2,000 houses on the green fields to the north of Gloucester and 4,000 houses on the green fields to the north west of Cheltenham by 2016. In return the Government will inject money as a sweetener to accelerate the project.

Cllr Jeremy Hilton, Liberal Democrat group leader, said:

"The Tories claim that they are securing funds for Gloucestershire by adopting their current position, but in fact we don't know how much money the County will obtain by these means. What we do know is that 6,000 houses will have to be built on the green fields of the Severn Vale by 2016, which wasn't the case before. This wasn't just a foolish move - it was unforgivable.

"These new houses will cut up our green belt, concrete over our flood plains, and damage the long awaited redevelopment schemes in the centres of Gloucester and Cheltenham. By voting down our motion the Tories have set these appalling consequences in motion. When will this administration learn to champion the interests of our County?"

Cllr Dr John Cordwell, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Transport and Planning, said:

"Yesterday's debate made it obvious that the Tories don't understand the issue. They have given their approval to the development of thousands of new houses on the green belt by 2016. By doing so, they have indicated to the Government that our County can take even more development than this. The Tories have completely failed to stand up for Gloucestershire."