LIBDEMS PRESENT SOLIHULL PETITION OPPOSING HOUSING EXPANSION PLANS TO NO 10

9.09.00am GMT Wed 3rd Dec 2008

Solihull councillors and campaigners joined Lorely Burt in presenting her’ petition to No 10 opposing 20,000 extra homes.

Solihull's MP, Lorely Burt today presented a petition signed by hundreds of Solihull residents opposed to the government commissioned report calling for 20.600 extra homes to be built in the borough by 2026.

The Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners (NLP) report proposes to triple the number of new houses originally agreed by elected councillors as part of the Regional Spatial Strategy into long term housing requirements.

Petitioners objected to the loss of green open space that would result from building a town the size of Lichfield in the Meriden Gap.

Mrs Burt criticised the report saying:

"The NLP report seems to draw its conclusions not from what the local planning authority feels it could accommodate, but from where house builders fell they could sell more homes - no wonder they want to treble the numbers in Solihull!

"There is overwhelming opposition to these proposals amongst elected councillors and residents I have spoken to in Solihull.

"It is immensely disappointing to see anything so simplistic and un-thought through presented as in any way warranting serious consideration. Government should ensure that they protect our precious Meriden Gap and consign this developer's wish list to the dustbin where it belongs."