Conservatives Trying To Avoid Their Responsibility For Eco-Town

11.34.48pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 9th Apr 2009

Uttlesford Conservatives' proposed new town in Elsenham and Henham.

Uttlesford's Conservatives are once again trying to blame others for the mess they have made of new housing in Uttlesford. This area has been allocated 4200 new houses by the Conservative-led East of England Regional Assembly. When the allocation was considered by Uttlesford District Council in 2005, the Council - including Conservative Councillors Ketteridge and Barker - unanimously supported the housing allocation. In 2007, out of the blue, Conservative councillors hatched a plan to dump 3000 of these houses at an eco-town north-east of Elsenham.

The Conservative plan inspired the government to propose a 5000-home eco-town at the same site. The Conservative position that 5000 new homes in Elsenham is too many, but 3000 is perfectly acceptable is nonsense - and they know it. That is why Uttlesford District Council has done so little to fight the government's plan. If they fight the government plan they undermine their own.

Lib Dem opposition leader Peter Wilcock writes "Conservative Leader Jim Ketteridge has recently given an inaccurate account of our meeting with housing minister Hazel Blears. The Liberal Democrats will continue to support more affordable housing to meet the needs of local communities, and will work within the statutory housing allocations that have been prepared by experts and have the force of law behind them. That is what I told Mrs Blears."

"Alongside local residents, Liberal Democrats will continue to fight the imposition of new towns in rural Uttlesford as proposed by Cllr Ketteridge's Conservative-led Council and Gordon Brown's Labour government. There is nowhere in Uttlesford that has the facilities and the transport links for a new settlement. The sooner that Jim Ketteridge ensures the release of planning advice showing the best way to share new housing amongst Uttlesford's town and villages, the better it will be for everyone."