Wed Jan 06, 2016 1:55 am
Wed Jan 06, 2016 10:57 am
Melisandre wrote:The selfish world.
Wed Jan 06, 2016 7:39 pm
Mon Jan 18, 2016 5:50 pm
Plea for more time to consider green belt building rejected as council votes on 25,000 housing plan
Concerns have been raised that housing plans, which will see huge swathes of green belt land lost to development, are being rushed through.
Conservative councillors called on the ruling Labour group to allow residents more than the legal minimum six-week consultation period to consider the draft ‘local plan’ during a full Coventry council meeting.
But the timeframe remained in place and the plans for 25,000 homes in the city by 2031 will go out for public comments and feedback between January 18 and February 29 after Labour councillors outvoted the Tories.
The plans would result in ten per cent of the city’s 3,000 hectares of green belt losing its protected status to allow 8,000 homes to be built.
The additional 17,000 homes are earmarked for brown field sites after the plan was drawn up in response to population growth forecasts from the Office of National Statistics.
But Coventry Conservative leader Coun John Blundell said only carrying out the minimal amount of consultation required by law suggested the decision would be pushed through regardless of people’s views.
He said: “The amount of time for consultation is far too small. We want to ensure the residents of Coventry have a true opportunity to respond to the local plan.
“We fear the local plan is a fait accompli. This is the council doing what it has to do by law rather than doing what it should be doing.”
But Labour Coun Rachel Lancaster, cabinet member for public services, accused the Conservatives of hypocrisy for voting against the plan - pointing out that when they were in control they had plans for a Coventry population of more than 400,000.
She added: “You also seem to have forgotten that in 2009 you undertook the same statuary consultation of six weeks.”
Tory Coun Julia Lepoidevin said the plans for more than 5,000 homes in the north of the city next to the A45 caused the most concern as her colleagues suggested residents had also been ignored over the decision to join Birmingham in the West Midlands Combined Authority.
She said: “They’re hell bent on closer collaboration with Greater Birmingham. The plans for Eastern Green are just the start.”
But Labour Coun George Duggins said it was essential a plan for housing was progressed as quickly as possible.
He said: “We’re talking about the future of the city, about future generations and about prosperity.
“There’s a housing crisis now and it needs to be addressed now.”
Fri Jan 22, 2016 1:03 am
Land grab claim causes political row between Coventry and Borough council
A ROW has broken out over claims that Coventry wants to use land in Bedworth for extra housing.
Opposing Conservatives at Nuneaton and Bedworth claim that a leaked controversial letter from the controlling Labour Group in Coventry to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government highlights an attempt to annex land in other council areas.
Tories at the Town Hall have challenged the ruling Labour group in Nuneaton to stand up to their colleagues in Coventry.
Councillor Kris Wilson, leader of the Conservative group, said: "Residents in Bedworth should be worried about this startling turn of events. With Coventry already placing a further 4,000 houses in Keresley, how long will it be before Coventry Labour try and annex parts of Bedworth to get their hands on the land, Council Tax and business rates?
"Of even more concern is the fact that because of Labour's inability in Nuneaton and Bedworth to get its act together and produce a Borough Plan in time we are at risk of having to accept even more of Coventry's overspill with another 4,000 houses potentially being dumped in our borough. Then, from the looks of it, Coventry will try and steal that land too!"
Cllr Wilson remains clear as to where the blame lies for the 'shambles' he claims that the borough is in: "The blame rests squarely at the doors of Labour councillors in Nuneaton and Bedworth who fail consistently to step up to the plate and stand up for our residents," the Tory leader explained.
"Residents in Bedworth will be worried about whether they will be sucked into Coventry against their will. Labour always say one thing to residents and then do another behind closed doors.
"But there is only one party who can guarantee that they will never agree to annexing Bedworth to Coventry, and that is the Conservatives."
But Cllr Dennis Harvey, leader of the Labour group, hit back at the accusations, saying: "This is absolute nonsense.
"Firstly, this is merely a letter sent by an individual councillor, not an official letter from the council or a cabinet member, so is not an indication of Coventry council's position.
"It surprises me that the Conservatives claim to know anything about Bedworth, but then I see they don't. Bedworth is to the north of Coventry, not the south or east as mentioned in the letter. No claims are being made on our boundaries by Coventry - what a load of drivel.
"We are working well together with Coventry in the West Midlands Combined Authority and there are great advantages for our borough in doing so."
He went on to conclude: "I ask the Tory opposition to join the real world, and look to a brighter economic future for our borough by working with the West Midlands councils, just as business leaders are asking us to."
Sun Jan 24, 2016 12:12 am
Sun Jan 24, 2016 1:35 am
Wed Jan 27, 2016 2:26 pm
Green belt protesters march against council's 25,000 new homes plan
Green belt campaigners have staged a march in protest at plans to build up to 25,000 new homes in the city.
Coventry council is currently consulting on its draft local plan, which indicates where it expects to build thousands of homes between now and 2031.
The proposals have been drawn up as the council prepares for forecast population growth based on figures from the Office of National Statistics.
The plans would result in ten per cent of the city’s 3,000 hectares of green belt losing its protected status to allow 8,000 homes to be built. The additional 17,000 homes are earmarked for brown field sites.
To demonstrate their opposition to the plans about 30 members of the ‘Green Alliance Group’ marched 500 yards from the Greyhound Pub at Sutton Stop to green belt land at Grange Farm.
The group is made up of campaigners from the Finham, Keresley, Ash Green and Longford areas.
They were joined on their latest march by a Massey Ferguson Tractor called “Fergie” driven by long-time green belt campaigner Tony Middleton.
More specific proposals will be drawn up for the areas if the local plan is signed off, but initial suggestions are that a major new supermarket and a new primary school could be built in the Eastern Green area.
Council officials also insist major infrastructure improvements would be made to deal with additional traffic.
Joint housing plans for the Coventry and Warwickshire region aim to accommodate 88,160 homes.
Wed Jan 27, 2016 2:48 pm
Thu Jan 28, 2016 12:49 pm