VICTORY for campaigners opposing swathes of greenbelt land being bulldozed for housing could be closer than ever.
Councillor John Mutton, the newly-appointed leader of Coventry’s now Labour-run cabinet, has said he is strongly against building on greenbelt land around the city.
Cllr Mutton, who represents the Binley and Willenhall ward, said: “The Labour group has opposed the core strategy since the beginning as we don’t believe there is any need to build on greenbelt land.
“At the moment we are waiting for the government inspector to come back with their report following the consultation, which should be anytime now.
“We, as a council, will oppose any recommendation to build on greenbelt.
“I have no problems with building 22,000 homes on brownfield sites, but we do not endorse on building anywhere else.”
Under the previous Labour government’s Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS), Coventry,
Solihull and Warwickshire would have to accommodate 82,000 homes – around 32,500 of this figure going to Coventry as it was identified as a ‘growth point’.
Under the RSS – now set to be scrapped by the new coalition government – the homes would have to be built on brownfield or greenbelt sites that were highlighted by the city council’s core strategy, by 2026.
This included a 3,500-home “eco suburb” in Keresley, areas near Longford, Eastern Green and Ash Green, and a 3,500-home estate on greenbelt land next to Finham which falls under Warwick District Council’s core strategy.
Sandra Camwell, chairman of the Keresley Parish Council, said: “Thank heavens Cllr Mutton has seen some sense in all of this. At the end of the day Coventry cannot support the amount of housing that was being asked to be built.
“We need to look after what we have got at the moment and improve that before we start adding bits here and there on greenbelt fields.
“A lot of people who live near these sites chose them so they could be near the countryside, not so they can see it turn into a concrete jungle.
“I very much hope greenbelt won’t be used, there are plenty of brownfield sites the council can build on.”
Isobel Jacques, of Ash Green, added: “This is what we have been saying all along and we are glad to hear this news.
“Since the beginning we have never felt the consultation had been very good – as far as I’m concerned there wasn’t any consultation.
“Of course we’re still worried that building on greenbelt could still happen, but it’s
reassuring to know John Mutton is sharing our views.”
Conservative MP for Meriden Caroline Spelman, who has been appointed secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, said the new coalition government plans to scrap the RSS altogether.
“When I have visited Coventry, one of the biggest concerns felt by residents was on this
issue and rightly so,” she said.
“There are unfortunately too many brownfield sites in the city and these should be used first.
“We are planning to scrap the RSS, in which the previous government said how many houses should be built by 2026.
“Instead we are now going to leave it up to local authorities to look at their housing lists, to look at the demands, and work out how many homes they need to build in the area and how many.
“We also want development to be mixed, so it will include homes, retail parks and economic uses.”
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