Regional Spatial Strategy
Posted by John Webster, district councillor for St Mark's, at 09:36, Sat 23 August 2008:
The Government has imposed a target of 13,800 new houses by 2026 on the Cheltenham Area - and approaching half of this will be on the Green Belt, thus creating the very urban sprawl that the Greenbelt was designed to contain. It will expand the town by 25% and will fundamentally affect its quality - as well as overloading its current infrastructure (roads, drainage, public services etc). The strategy is based on 'growing' the economy and predicts the need for 3 million houses nationally by 2020 - and an increase in population from about 61million to over 70million. The indigenous population is hardly growing at all - most of the increase will be from population movements from the rest of Europe. The Government believes the UK needs more people to supplement its current workforce. This pays no attention to the environmental and resource challenges that the country faces, and is an attempt to keep Britains economic position in the world rather than protecting and developing our quality of life. The strategy of expansion flies in the face of all the advice about sustainability and the need to tackle climate change. And it won't provide much more housing for local people. The new housing is for people moving into the area. All local Councils are opposed to it - and there is a final opportunity to object to the Secretary of State by 20th October of this year. If you oppose this go to www.savethecountryside.org.uk and sign the petition.
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