U-TURN WELCOMED ON CASH FOR HOMES

2.11.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 21st May 2008

LOCAL LIBERAL DEMOCRAT leaders have welcomed the dramatic u-turn by Conservative-run Gloucestershire County Council, which has today announced that it has withdrawn its support for the government's 'Growth Point' status in the wake of the Lib Dem victory in the local elections on 1 May. Growth Point status would have accelerated and promoted development on green spaces around Cheltenham and Gloucester. New Lib Dem council leader Cllr Steve Jordan and Lib Dem MP Martin Horwood have both greeted the climb-down as a victory for people power. But the Regional Spatial Strategy still earmarks areas south and north-west of Cheltenham for long-term development.

Martin said "I'm absolutely delighted the Conservative County Council has backed down over Growth Point status. This was always a disastrous government-led plan to accelerate green field development around towns like ours ahead of urban regeneration or more appropriate development for rural communities. The County Conservatives had tried to have it both ways: implying they opposed over-development and then signing up to this scheme by the back door in return for financial incentives."

"But the result of the local elections in Cheltenham was very clear. Local people wanted no part of this scheme and voted in large numbers for Lib Dem candidates who were completely committed to protecting the countryside. This is a victory for democracy and a victory for people power. I'd like to say thank you to the all-party Save the Countryside campaign and everyone in Cheltenham who voted for candidates opposed to Growth Point status on 1 May. It made the difference."

"The accelerated scheme should now be a dead duck but sadly the longer-term threat is still there from the Government's 'Regional Spatial Strategy'. I have today invited all the other Gloucestershire MPs to meet me to plan how we can step up all-party opposition to the RSS. I'm pleased that Laurence Robertson has already accepted the invitation and I look forward to hearing from the other MPs."

Cllr Steve Jordan, leader of Cheltenham Liberal Democrat Group also welcomed the County Council decision. He said, "While Conservatives at county and district level signed up to these plans, it is Liberal Democrats that have led the opposition. We never felt that vague talk of some extra funding justified the gamble of all those extra houses. Clearly the Liberal Democrat gains in the recent elections have encouraged this change of heart."