SE Plan - Lib Dems urge protection of our town as well as green belt

Guildford Liberal Democrats urged the Borough Council to protect the character of our town and villages, as well as protecting our Green Belt, in their response to the government consultation on the SE Plan. Addressing the Council's Executive at their meeting on Thursday last week, Lib Dem Group Leader Cllr Fiona White urged the Executive to protest at the government's proposal for 8440 additional houses to be built in Guildford borough by 2026, and to resist the use of green belt land for housing.

Cllr White said "The government's proposals threaten not only our countryside and green belt, but also the character of our town and the quality of life for all our residents. We must fight against 'town cramming'. Super-high densities of housing development would lead to intolerable pressures on our roads, schools and health facilities, and threaten to destroy gardens and green spaces which give our town so much of its character."

Town centre councillor Caroline Reeves (Lib Dem, Friary and St Nicolas) added "This pressure for ever-higher densities is having a devastating effect on the availability of family-sized homes in the town centre, as small houses are converted into multiple flats. Usually these have little or no parking provision and add to the parking chaos on our streets. We must fight to keep our town a place where families can live in a pleasant green environment. I am delighted that the pressure from resident groups has lead to the strengthening of the Council's comments, and agree that we should all be working together to make the strongest possible objections to these proposals."

Lib Dem councillors have also protested at the Conservative Executive's decision to suggest that Guildford's affordable housing provision be reduced from 40% as proposed by the government down to 35%. Cllr White said "If we are forced to take high numbers of new houses, we should at least try to make as many as possible affordable, for rent or shared-ownership, to provide homes for those who cannot afford the high house prices in our borough. Young people who have grown up in the borough, and people who provide essential services such as teachers, nurses and police, should be able to make their home here. The council's waiting list for housing is growing longer by the year - the council must do better."

Guildford Liberal Democrats are making their own response to the government's consultation, and have also pledged their support to the 'Don't Wreck Guildford' campaign being run by the Guildford Society and East Guildford Residents' Association.