Derbyshire Dales District Council’s Local Plan for most of the constituency is currently being Examined in Public at the Town Hall. There are several sessions still to run, up to 23rd May. After that and after 8th June we’ll have a result.
It is a rampantly Tory driven Plan, unrelentingly relying in part on very harmful greenfield extensions to towns and villages. It is trying to justify a target of 6500 houses against local wishes.
GPEW policy favours community led development
As planner and green activist, I’ve put forward
- reasons why the so called Objectively Assessed Need is mainly external demand, is not local need and is only a target, not a mandate
- that the target should be reduced, because half the housing area is in the Peak Park
- that there is a radical alternative for about 2000 houses – a community-led new village in the lowland south
- that heavy reliance on commercially led town and village extensions is a bad strategy
The officers are stubbornly resisting all alternatives. Liberal and independent councillors have voted against the allocations. 3 of 4 Labour councillors have, to my disappointment, voted for it.
Contact me if you want to know more.
John Youatt john@youatt.co.uk 01629 636241
