MP and leader meet over housing

THE leader of Wokingham Borough Council has met with the MP for Wokingham to discuss housing numbers in the borough.

On Friday, Cllr Clive Jones joined Sir John Redwood after Cllr Jones sent a letter to Michael Gove, the secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities.

In it, Cllr Jones called for a reduction in housing numbers imposed on the borough.

Sir John agrees that the demands on Wokingham should be reduced.

He said: “I explained why I would like the next local plan to confirm lower new housing numbers, given the past pressures on green spaces, local infrastructure and public services.

“The council needs to get on with a new local plan to cover the period up to 2037. The current plan is near its end and is too permissive.

“I suggested the council maximises identified land that should be kept free of development through the various designations of green space, SSSI, green belt, recreational space and good quality agricultural land.”

Sir John also said the council shouldn’t identify “unsuitable sites” as it might “make defending decisions later more difficult”.

Wokingham Borough Council is currently reviewing responses after it consulted residents on a revised growth strategy which asked for views on changes in the approach to development.

These will inform the next stages of the local plan.

It is expected that the local plan update will be completed and adopted by the end of next year.

Sir John also believes the council should create a proposal for changing the way housing need is calculated as it is central to calculating how much land needs to be identified.

He said: “The secretary of state is currently considering whether and how to change national planning law.

“I would be happy to put a good working proposal to the secretary of state.”

Cllr Jones said the meeting with Sir John was “positive” and he is hoping to engage with the borough’s other MPs.

He said: “We hope for an equally positive meeting with James Sunderland, and hope that Matt Rodda and Theresa May will engage with us as well.”

The letter, sent by Cllr Jones to Michael Gove, was criticised by Wokingham Conservatives who say Cllr Jones is “out of ideas”.

Leader Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, said: “The first thing Clive Jones does on taking office is send off a letter to the government, with much fanfare, which is almost identical to one his predecessor sent.

“It sets out the same arguments, and in a number of places, uses the exact same words and phrases.

“When it comes to housing and development, this coalition has no plans, no new ideas, and has just copied what the Conservatives had already done whilst claiming it was a new approach.”

Cllr Jones denied the accusations.

He said: “We haven’t ripped off John Halsall’s letter. We tried to work with him some time ago, but it didn’t get very far.

“The letter was constructed with input from our councillor for the local plan, and with council officers. This is the correct way to address these matters.”

“We hope that Conservatives are prepared to work with us and not just criticise.”