Solihull residents who signed Lorely Burt's 'Save Our Green Spaces' petition, opposing Government plans to allow development of up to 20,600 extra houses in Solihull by 2026, have had their pleas rejected by a government parliamentary under secretary.
Mrs Burt, who presented the petition to No 10 with Liberal Democrat councillors and campaigners last November, has received a reply from Iain Wright MP on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government saying "I do not think it would be appropriate to comment…in advance of the public examination [in April]."
Commenting today, Lorely said:
"Solihull residents are deeply concerned that Government want to treble the number of houses they would like to build in the borough over the next twenty years.
"The extra homes proposed in their Nathaniel Lichfield Partnership report would have a profound impact on the quality of life, infrastructure and availability of green open space in the borough.
"The public examination is not a full blown public inquiry like the Motorway Service Area review, and will not allow elected councillors or members of the public adequate opportunity to contest decisions being taken about our own borough.
"It is both revealing and disappointing that ministers will not comment because the Secretary of State commissioned the NLP report, and will also make the final decisions."
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