Housing and Planning

There is a clear and ongoing need for affordable housing for local people. Because of various loopholes in planning policy, some that the local authorities have no influence over, a number of piecemeal developments have occurred without social housing provision.

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I recognise the need for some social housing provision for local residents.

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However, large-scale social housing developments could have the potential to be extraordinarily damaging, and are inherently divisive.

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I also fully support the local neighbourhood development plan, plus the current limits of development specified in this plan.  These plans were developed at a community level and endorsed by the community.

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Following the Corona Virus Pandemic, there is the potential for a seismic shift in work patterns, and the potential for massive amounts of unused office space in towns and cities.  With so much potential development space within central urban areas, I believe a complete moratorium on planning any greenfield build should take place immediately until a real sense of the social change is measured.  I see no sense in building on prime agricultural land when vast areas of existing developed land could become available. I would exclude from this small scale local development to meet specific local needs.