ONE of the country’s newest MPs has backed campaigners who claim plans for 22,000 new homes in York will destroy its green belt.
Liberal Democrats in York are opposing the target outlined in City of York Council’s draft Local Plan of 1,090 new houses every year to 2030, many of which would be on greenfield sites.
The Labour-run authority says this is needed to meet population growth and make renting and buying property more affordable.
Mike Thornton, who won the Eastleigh by-election for the Lib Dems earlier this year, met the party’s prospective parliamentary candidate for York Outer at the next General Election, Nick Emmerson, in York and was told more than 2,000 residents have signed a petition opposing building on the Green Belt.
“In Eastleigh, Liberal Democrats worked hard to protect green spaces between our towns and villages, and any construction needs to be sustainable, with the necessary economic and infrastructure plans in place, and protect the Green Belt wherever possible,” said Mr Thornton.
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