Eco-town plan can still be defeated, says MEP (West Bromwich and Warley Liberal Democrats)

West Bromwich and Warley Liberal Democrats <info@westbromwichandwarleylibdems.org.uk>

Eco-town plan can still be defeated, says MEP

January 28, 2009 4:40 PM
Originally published by Liz Lynne

Stratford-based LibDem Euro MP Liz Lynne says a renewed drive to flood the Eco-town planning team with thousands of individual objections can boost chances of the Middle Quinton site being dropped from the programme.

The Warwickshire MEP's call came after BARD and an alliance of anti Eco-town groups lost their High Court bid to derail the Eco-town plans.

Liz Lynne, who has individually objected to the second stage of the Eco-town consultation, said: "I congratulate the BARD group for the huge campaign they have run so far, and losing this particularly legal bid should not be seen as a defeat. I still believe the Middle Quinton campaign can be victorious as there is little prospect of the government pressing ahead with 12 sites as new Eco-towns."

Liz, county MEP for the last ten years also served for five years as a LibDem MP at Westminster. She added: "I have seen the way governments and civil servants react to protest campaigns. They are trying to work out the line of least resistance - there have been credible reports that the number of Eco-town sites going forward to the next stage will be dramatically fewer.

"We have to ensure that the Middle Quinton campaign stands out as one of the most unpopular and inappropriate sites of the 12. The fact that this round of consultation has been extended until March 6th suggests they are receiving a very large number of responses.

"In the next five weeks the best way Warwickshire residents can help the BARD campaigners sink this ludicrous proposal is to add their voice and put in a formal response, either by post or by email. We need hundreds and preferably thousands of individuals to respond.

"Any objective assessment of the sites would conclude that Middle Quinton is unlikely to be sustainable or green, but having a very large number of objections will make a difference."

Earlier in January The Independent reported that of the 12 locations put forward by developers across the country only 5 will be considered as potential sites after the second round of consultation closes.

ENDS

Notes: Liz has formally objected to the Long Marston / Middle Quinton site in a response to the consultation being carried out by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

The consultation on the current shortlist of 12 sites has been extended until March 6th. The original shortlist of 15 sites was cut to 10 after the first round of consultation last year, but the Housing Minister added two more sites before the current round of consultation. Only one of the shortlisted Eco-town sites meets the highest grade A criteria of environmental sustainability set by the Department.

Responses to the Eco-town consultation can be sent by email to: ecotowns@communities.gsi.gov.uk