News

West of Luton - public meetings

I attended a packed meeting in Caddington Village Hall on Wednesday night at which the proposed development called Bushwood Green to the West of Luton  was discussed.  Hundreds of people turned out and many questions were raised.

I was given an opportunity to speak and explained that I had been leading a campaign against unwanted development on green belt to the East of Luton for several years now, and that I am proud that the Conservative Party have adopted a policy that would considerably reduce the pressure to build on our beloved green by scrapping Labour's centrally imposed housing development targets that are the result of the ridiculous spatial strategies - and replacing them with more locally based planning schemes giving local people a much greater say.  David Cameron has also committed that councils will be given back the power to protect green belt land even if it is currently zoned for development.

I added that we all know we need more housing, but I believe we should be focusing on the acres of derelict brownfield sites in the centre of Luton first, and on filling the thousands of empty homes already in Luton before we concrete over greenbelt.

The Shadow Environment Minister, Caroline Spellman, has written to all councils encouraging them to put major housing development plans on hold until after the next election - by which time a new government will be in place, the present housing targets will be scrapped, and the decisions on such things will be put back much more in local hands.

There can be no denying that the developers have pulled together a proposal that has some attractive features for many Lutonians including community and sporting facilities and a new stadium for Luton Town Football Club.  It would be naive to say that the development does not have its supporters.  But one can not consider a proposal without the context of exactly where it will be built, and without taking on board the opinions of local residents who will be most impacted. 

I also said at the meeting that under a Conservative government the onus would be on the developers to convince the local population that their development is so compelling that they embrace it.  This would likely entail convincing residents that it will increase the value of their house; that it will increase their standard of living; that it is the right type of housing, on the right scale, and in the right place.  Otherwise - without convincing the local residents and the local councils that represent them, no proposal will succeed. 

I encourage all local residents to express their opinions on this matter and please let me know what you think by emailing me at:  nigel.huddleston@gmail.com.  The next meeting is at at Slip End Village Hall on Friday 9th October at 7:30 pm.