 Housing Fiasco Is A Tory Failure Says Town's Lib Dems
15th March 2017
Contributed by the Burgess Hill Liberal Democrats
Burgess Hill Liberal Democrats are placing responsibility for the latest rejection of District Council’s housing plan by the Planning Inspector firmly on the heads of the Tory administration in Mid Sussex.
Roger Cartwright, (pictured) the Lib Dem candidate in Burgess Hill East said
“Back in 2008/10, central government gave Mid Sussex a housing target of 15,000 new homes over 25 years. Mid Sussex Tories cut this target by one-third in 2011 on no real evidence. We’re now in 2017 and it looks like the final housing numbers will be closer to 20,000 over this period.
“This isn’t the benefit of hindsight. Mid Sussex Tories knew what the housing demand was going to be, but in an act of monumental political arrogance, simply chose to ignore it. The problem is that local residents will have to pay the price of the Tories’ failure”.
The consequences for Burgess Hill are pretty grim say the town’s Liberal Democrats and they have identified the following risks:
- Without an approved housing plan land to the south of Folders Lane is back in the firing
line for development with the potential for 1000 homes being built on prime green space;
- Strategic gaps between Haywards Heath and Hassock are vulnerable as land is identified
for extra housing;
- Conurbation creep is likely with the planned Northern Arc spreading further out along the
A23 and Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill and Hassocks gradually merging into one;
- Significant additional pressure will be placed on the town’s infrastructure which is already
showing the strains of the much delayed town centre regeneration.
Roger Cartwright also claims that another consequence of this 'fiasco' is the loss of revenue.
"Whilst we lack an approved Housing Plan, we miss out on revenue from the ‘Community Infrastructure Levy’. This comes to up to £10,000 per house. Burgess Hill is losing millions of pounds in revenue which is vital to the town’s future. Perhaps the Town’s Tories would like to cough up the money instead?"
Burgess Hill Uncovered would very much welcome a response from the Mid Sussex Conservative Party and will publish what they have to say in a follow-up story. The contact is news@burgesshilluncovered.co.uk
Spread the word, Burgess Hill Lib Dems are in no doubt as to where the fault lies for the housing fiasco.
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