Saffron Walden Constituency Liberal Democrats

Housing Options - Conservative Fibs Uncovered

Uttlesford Conservatives' proposed new town in Elsenham and Henham.

In an effort to detract attention from the difficulties they are presently in, Uttlesford's ruling Conservatives are making many wild claims about Uttlesford District Council's plans to locate 4,200 extra houses in the District and are instead attempting to pin the blame for their own mistakes on the Liberal Democrat opposition. If you prefer facts over fibs, read on.

Tory Fib 1: Uttlesford District Council is working to meet a government deadline and will be fined if it doesn't meet it.

Fact: The timetable was set by the Council itself and the Government's East of England office has strongly suggested that Uttlesford should extend the timetable so it can do the job of preparing its core strategy properly by providing evidence to back up its proposals.

Tory Fib 2: The Conservatives' preferred option - Option 4, "Helsenham" new town - is an opportunity to develop an eco-friendly community that is a model of 21st century planning with appropriate infrastructure, shops and schools.

Fact: Conservative-controlled Essex County Council has stated publicly that the 3,000-home new town between Elsenham and Henham promoted by the Conservatives is not sustainable and would need 5,000-10,000 homes, would threaten the future of Mountfitchet College in Stansted, would require major road building, would not support new bus services and has not been backed by evidence that it is the best solution that Uttlesford Tories claim it to be.

Tory Fib 3: The Liberal Democrats support Option 2.

Fact: The Liberal Democrats support the principle of distributing the housing across a selection of existing towns and villages but would only make evidence-based decisions on how many homes should be located in each location. Conservative-controlled Essex County Council and Go-EAST, the Government Office for the East of England, have slated Conservative-controlled Uttlesford District Council for failing to produce evidence to support any of its 4 housing options.

Tory Fib 4: Option 2 will place a thousand extra homes in both Saffron Walden and Great Dunmow without any additional infrastructure to support the new homes.

Fact: The Tories at Uttlesford say this without providing any evidence to substantiate their claim. The Tories at Essex say these existing settlements can be expanded and that they have local affordable housing needs that would not be met by a new settlement. Essex says more work is needed to be done by Uttlesford to prove its case.

Tory Fib 5: Liberal Democrats on Stansted Parish Council can't make up their minds on housing.

Fact: Liberal Democrats and Conservatives on Stansted Parish Council, including a Conservative member of Uttlesford District Council, support the following response to Uttlesford's consultation: "The Parish Council believes the consultation process has been flawed and, thus far, devoid of any hard information on which to make decisions. As such, we cannot support any of the options. We believe that the Council should go back to the drawing board.".

As reported in the Herts & Essex Observer on 31st. January, the Conservatives have since withdrawn their misleading article, but we reproduce it below for the record.

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"Stansted Liberal Democrats can't decide either

Liberal Democrats on Stansted Parish Council although critical of the Conservatives proposed settlement North East of Elsenham, just like Liberal Democrats in Saffron Walden & Great Dunmow cant make up their minds on housing. They seem to know what they don't want, but have no idea what they do want.

Instead of offering alternatives to the Conservatives they want Uttlesford to start all over again. Clearly the Liberal Democrats are unaware that Uttlesford is working to meet a Government deadline and the Council will be fined if Uttlesford's Housing Strategy is not produced. Going back to the drawing board is not an option for Uttlesford.

Liberal Democrats have been sending mixed messages on housing for some time. The Liberal Democrats officially support Option 2. This has been rejected by Liberal Democrats on Saffron Walden Town, Great Dunmow Town and Stansted Parish Council. Some local Lib-Dems have called for the new town to be built at Great Chesterford while other local Lib-Dems don't like any of the Options at all. It was only last July the local Liberal Democrats were supporting a million plus homes by 2020 (the Lib-Dem national policy). This was put to the vote at Uttlesford District Council where it was rejected by the new Conservative administration.

By supporting Option 2, Liberal Democrats want to build in Elsenham, Great Chesterford, Great Dunmow, Newport, Saffron Walden, Stansted, Thaxted and Little Canfield-Takeley. This option will place a thousand extra homes in both Saffron Walden & Great Dunmow without any additional infrastructure to support the new homes.

Along with all other Councils, Uttlesford is obliged by the Government to outline its housing strategy. In UDCs case we are required to find sites for a further 4200 houses for development by 2024. Such centralised control by the Government is unnecessary and restricts local democracy. We would much prefer to build a plan around organic growth.

The Council is obligated to declare a preference and, taking into account the level of existing and planned development in other parts of Uttlesford, it believes Option 4 to be most consistent with criteria detailed by the Government. It is an opportunity to develop an eco friendly community that is a model of 21st century planning with appropriate infrastructure, shops and schools. However, as part of their further research, Officers have been asked to comprehensively review other alternative new settlements so that any decision is transparent and fully justified."