Call to reject bid for Green Belt housing
PLANS to build hundreds of homes on Green Belt land should be rejected, a wouldbe councillor has warned.
David Thomas urged West Lancashire Borough Council to resist any bid to develop on land off Parrs Lane in Aughton after a developer revealed major plans for the site.
Although no planning application has been submitted, David Wilson Homes has launched a website to showcase its plans and hopes that the land could be earmarked for development when the council publishes its next Local Plan.
The proposal has already received the opposition of MP Rosie Cooper and Aughton Parish Council and now Mr Thomas, who is the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for West Lancs and will stand in May’s elections for Aughton and Downholland ward, has added his voice to those calls.
He said: “Of course Britain needs many more houses, especially low cost starter homes and social housing.
“But the priority must be to build on so-called brown-field sites and on preserving our green belt.
“These proposals would put extra pressure on Aughton’s existing schools, shops, car parking and rail stations, whilst adding further to congestion.”
He has asked the council to confirm that any application for planning permission will be rejected and to provide a schedule of brown field sites across the borough as a focus for new housing developments.
DWH says its development will be “resident-led” and is inviting feedback to help shape the proposals.
Sam Stafford, regional strategic land director for DWH, said: “We have launched a website www.littlemoorhallgardens.co.uk/ to showcase the proposal and it has been very encouraging to see the response so far.
“We welcome any further comments on the plans via this website.”