In today’s King’s Speech, the new Government announced a new Planning Bill which it is widely reported will remove the right of local communities to reject housing developments when they don’t think they are right for their neighbourhood. I know many of you will be worried about what this means for our area.
We absolutely need affordable homes for local families and key workers including teachers and nurses, but forcing through new developments without a proper role for residents to question local infrastructure, traffic or access to green spaces or public services is not the answer.
I’m going to be meeting Tandridge District Council to discuss what these plans mean for our area, and how we can provide constructive opposition to ensure that we get the affordable homes we need, while managing infrastructure pressures and protecting our green spaces.
If you feel strongly about this issue, I’ve launched a survey for you to tell me how more building on the green belt will affect you.