Fears increase that the Government will ensure destruction of the green belt

5.50.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 7th Oct 2008

A large group of MP's from all parties came together to criticise the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) in the South West Region today during a Westminster Hall debate.

With strong cross party consensus the RSS was described as a fundamentally flawed, undemocratic and top down process.

Annette Brooke, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole spoke out strongly during the debate against the RSS. "This insensitive and undemocratic scheme will be a disaster for the local area and its residents. While I do not deny that we need to invest in local affordable housing, this is absolutely the wrong way to go about it."

"The RSS dictates how many houses should be build but fails to take into account any infrastructure whatsoever. Who is going to provide the new schools and hospitals to go with these houses, along with roads and transport links?

We struggle enough with congestion in this area, especially during the tourist season. Without new roads an extra 2750 homes in the Lytchett Minster area and 700 more in Corfe Mullen would be a total disaster."

However, the most alarming revelation involved the right to build on green field sites ahead of brown field sites. The Minister stated that the Government would not prioritise the use of Brown field sites, giving the go ahead to developers to sprawl out into the country side and destroy our green belt before other options have been exhausted.

"This particular detail is truly alarming," stated Annette "and will mark the end of our green spaces if we don't act quickly to stop it. I now hope to organise a cross party mass regional demonstration in London on all these issues."

The full text of Annette's speech can be found under 'Recent Speeches'.