Hands off our Green Belt!
What land should be released for building over the next 15 years? That’s what the Local Plan is all about. But the inflated government target for building in Elmbridge will mean the extra people will:
- Squeeze already hard pressed local health services
- Create further shortages of local school places
- Intensify traffic congestion
- Increase pollution
What we really need is 1, 2 and 3 bedroom truly affordable homes. Is this going to happen? No! Land prices are high so private sector homes will be unaffordable. And the national government makes sure that boroughs have insufficient revenue to build new social housing. National funding for local government has halved in the last ten years. So the amount of social housing which can be built is very limited. The national government requires our borough to allow 9,400 extra homes to be built over the next 15 years. The borough has independently assessed that 5,000 new homes are needed for our needs in Elmbridge over the next 15 years. The government requirement of 9,400 new homes is based on flawed thinking. All the options, but one, in the Local Plan consultation document lead to too much development because it had to follow government guidelines. Only Option 4 restricts development as far as it can and preserves the existing character of our community. This is the one we should press our Councillors to adopt. It doesn’t deliver all the building central government wants, but we need to send a clear message to government that this is justified. There is a risk that government will overrule us, but we must choose whether to fight or cave in. What to do? Right now – or as soon as you can:
- Read the Local Plan documents and complete the consultation form
- Write to your local councillor (Check names on www.elmbridge.gov.uk )
- Post your views on Facebook and/or Twitter
- Write to your MP Philip Hammond and/or Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government - both at the House of Commons.
- Book your attendance for the meeting on 27th August (you need to apply for a ticket here)
- Join your local local residents’ association or amenity society