Wharfedale MP continues fight for housing support (From Ilkley Gazette)

Wharfedale MP continues fight for housing support

9:00am Monday 7th January 2013 in Local news

An MP has vowed to continue the fight to save communities from over-development – despite a defeat in Parliament.

Leeds North West MP Greg Mulholland is calling for measures to ensure there is adequate infrastructure to support new housing.

An amendment to the Growth and Infrastructure Bill which he says would have achieved that goal was defeated in the Commons. The Bill itself was passed.

Now Mr Mulholland, one of a number of MPs supporting the amendment, has stressed his determination to carry on the fight.

Mr Mulholland, who has been working closely on the issue with the campaign group Wharfedale and Airedale Review Development (WARD), said: “It is vital that infrastructure is taken into consideration when plans are brought forward for housing, but currently that simply is not happening and the amendment I have supported would seek to resolve this.

“This is an issue that has rightly been raised by residents at successive meetings of WARD and planning legislation must be changed to ensure that planners are forced to consider how local infrastructure will cope with the influx of residents and if the capacity is not there, then development must be prevented.

“While it disappointing the amendment was not passed, its calls are certainly something I will be continuing to work alongside WARD to secure locally and in Westminster.”

 WARD chairman David Ingham said: “It is gratifying to see that Greg Mulholland, one of our supportive MPs, is actually following through his promises to safeguard communities from over-development.

“It is vitally important that developers are not allowed to build in areas where infrastructure is clearly unable to cope with a large influx of new residents. Government must realise that the impact of large residential developments can place impossible demands on both existing transport networks and upon local sewage/drainage systems.  “These demands, together with the need to accommodate extra numbers in already overcrowded schools and doctors’ surgeries, must be taken into consideration in the Growth and Infrastructure Bill.  Sustainable development means protecting local communities and future generations from the adverse effects of disastrous planning legislation.”