No respite from Government on Central Building Targets

The Conservative government promised to make housebuilding fairer for local communities but has failed to do so.  Only in November our local MP John Redwood assured residents that he had secured the removal of national top-down targets.  This was wrong.  The central government formula by which housing targets are calculated has not changed.  Even the easiest decision we asked of the government – that the 2,000 extra houses built above the requirements of the last 15 year plan were taken into account for the future – has been kicked down the road for another review.   

We are developing a local plan for when the current plan expires with many improvements on the draft we inherited from the previous administration.  Our plan will include bold new environmental policies to protect the climate and our local environment and reduce heating costs.  We will designate areas of special landscape value or urban green spaces to be protected from inappropriate development.  We want housing that meets local needs rather than the needs of developers, with the right infrastructure and services planned up front and delivered on time.  

Clive Jones, Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Wokingham says: 

“We need the government to be fair to communities such as Wokingham if we are to build sustainably for the future.  Wokingham needs an MP who stands up for our community, not one who thinks his job is done when he has unsuccessfully lobbied his friends.  

“We will not stop campaigning for a fair deal.  Wokingham deserves better.”