"LISTEN & AVOID ECO-TOWN SHAMBLES", SAYS STANSTED COUNCILLOR (Saffron Walden Constituency Liberal Democrats)

Saffron Walden Constituency Liberal Democrats <info@saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk>

"LISTEN & AVOID ECO-TOWN SHAMBLES", SAYS STANSTED COUNCILLOR

January 1, 2008 8:15 PM

Map of the Conservatives' planned new town near Elsenham.

Stansted district councillor Alan Dean has called on Uttlesford's ruling Conservatives to turn over a new leaf in the New Year by starting to listen to other people and other parties 'to avoid further shambles'. He made the call in the light of what he describes as 'growing confusion and split within the council's Tory group over plans for future housing in Uttlesford.

"Council leader Jim Ketteridge was enthusiastic at public meetings in September and October last year that the Option 4 Elsenham/Henham new settlement would become a government-sponsored eco-town that would get support to pay for infrastructure. Now senior Conservative environment committee chairman Susan Barker has denied ever backing an eco-town", said Cllr Dean.

"But the rabbit is out of the bag! The Conservatives' high profile campaign has understandably given a high risk, amber light to developer proposals for new settlements all across the district."

Cllr Dean was supported by Elsenham and Henham member, Cllr David Morson. He said: "It may be that in the past few days the reality has belatedly dawned on some of the ruling administration that an eco-town would bring additional housing on a much larger scale than ever envisaged to date. The council would still have to find locations for the 4,200 homes currently under consultation. The stark truth is that 'ElsHenham' does not offer the simple solution that the Tories promised".

Cllr Dean added: "If Conservative councillors had first had the common sense and courage to talk to the Liberal Democrats about their ideas instead of steam-rolling them through the council in the autumn, the district would have avoided the shambles the Tories have now created. They need to listen more in future to avoid further shambles. It's a bit late now for some of them to be denying they never wanted an eco-town. What do Uttlesford Tories intend to do now? Residents deserve an answer."

Cllr Dean is calling for a full explanation of where Uttlesford is heading with its current housing plans to be made at the council's next south-west area panel, which will be held at the Mountfitchet Mathematics & Computing College on January 7th at 7.00 p.m