“That this Council agrees with Conservative MP for Elmet and Rothwell, Mr Alec Shelbrooke, that rural communities are facing “death by a thousand cuts” from builders and planners allowing inappropriate developments on towns and villages across the country – this destroys communities, lays waste the green belt and ignores the environment. Much of the development is completely unsustainable (such as lack of water in South Cambridgeshire) and simply reproduces the same mistakes made during the building frenzy of the industrial revolution.
15 years ago the Chief Planning officer for South Cambridgeshire insisted that this district was “full”. This Council respectfully asks the Prime Minister to implement his promises concerning localism and allow local communities to democratically plot their own futures with the power to reject the centralised environmental atrocities being imposed on the countryside throughout England and Wales by the Government’s planning policies, and its Bristol based inspectors (the Planning Police).”
Decision:
This motion was lost.
Minutes:
Councillor Deborah Roberts proposed the following motion:
“That this Council agrees with Conservative MP for Elmet and Rothwell, Mr Alec Shelbrooke, that rural communities are facing “death by a thousand cuts” from builders and planners allowing inappropriate developments on towns and villages across the country – this destroys communities, lays waste the green belt and ignores the environment. Much of the development is completely unsustainable (such as lack of water in South Cambridgeshire) and simply reproduces the same mistakes made during the building frenzy of the industrial revolution.
15 years ago the Chief Planning officer for South Cambridgeshire insisted that this district was “full”. This Council respectfully asks the Prime Minister to implement his promises concerning localism and allow local communities to democratically plot their own futures with the power to reject the centralised environmental atrocities being imposed on the countryside throughout England and Wales by the Government’s planning policies, and its Bristol based inspectors (the Planning Police).”
Councillor Roberts felt that the Council should make a significant statement about how the character of South Cambridgeshire had detrimentally changed over recent years and made the point that Councillors were elected to represent their villages and communities, saying that they had a voice which should be used. She made reference to inappropriate developments was of the opinion that they did not take into consideration the future and character of affected villages. She therefore urged Members to support the motion.
Councillor Tim Scott seconded the motion.
In debating the motion the following points were made by Members:
· it was essential for the Local Development Plan to be adopted as soon as possible;
· South Cambridgeshire had a very supportive Member of Parliament and Cabinet Members who had opportunities to discuss and potentially influence Government. The Council should make as much out of those opportunities as possible;
· growth was vital to the Greater Cambridge area and South Cambridgeshire as a district. The Local Plan would ensure that this growth occurred in those locations where it was wanted. The district was not full and there were methods available to insure that adequate infrastructure was put in place to accommodate more people living and working in South Cambridgeshire;
· South Cambridgeshire was a place where people wanted to live and work. It was consistently in the top ten for best places to live in the country and significant employers were keen to be located in the Greater Cambridge area;
· the Council should use this opportunity to send a message to Government.
Voting on the motion, with 12 votes in favour, 31 votes against and 6 abstentions, the motion was lost.
Enough Members as prescribed in the Council’s Standing Orders requested a recorded vote. Votes were therefore cast as follows:
In favour
Councillors Val Barrett, Nigel Cathcart, Jose Hales, Roger Hall, Tumi Hawkins, Caroline Hunt, Cicley Murfitt, Des O’Brien, Deborah Roberts, Tim Scott, Edd Stonham and Bunty Waters.
Against
Councillors David Bard, Henry Batchelor, Francis Burkitt, Grenville Chamberlain, Graham Cone, Pippa Corney, Christopher Cross, Kevin Cuffley, Sue Ellington, Andrew Fraser, Lynda Harford, Philippa Hart, Roger Hickford, Mark Howell, Sebastian Kindersley, Janet Lockwood, Mervyn Loynes, Ray Manning, Mick Martin, Raymond Matthews, David McCraith, Charles Nightingale, Tony Orgee, Ben Shelton, Hazel Smith, Richard Turner, Robert Turner, Aidan Van de Weyer, John Williams, Tim Wotherspoon and Nick Wright.
Abstention
Councillors Anna Bradnam, Neil Davies, James Hockney, Douglas de Lacey, Alex Riley and Bridget Smith.
(Note – Councillors Tom Bygott and Robin Page were not present for this vote).