I AM pleased that thanks to a Liberal Democrat motion, Labour-run City of York Council’s draft Local Plan will now be reconsidered (The Press, October 11).
We have consistently argued that Labour’s housing plans are misguided and have ignored the concerns of local residents.
Despite the recent reduction in headline housing numbers to 17,000, the amount of green belt land threatened with development is still the same as under last year’s proposals.
Our motion means that these plans will now be reassessed by council officers and the cross-party local plan working group. This group will then make recommendations to the Labour cabinet on a new Local plan.
This will be a crucial chance to redraw Labour’s plans and set realistic housing targets and infrastructure plans for York. I also hope it can lead to a move away from 80 per cent of planned development being on green belt sites and towards a genuine “brownfield first” policy.
After our motion, legitimate public concerns over this issue can no longer be ignored.
Cllr Keith Aspden, Leader of the Liberal, Democrat Group, Heath Moor Drive, Fulford, York.
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