Conservative Councillors ignore residents over housing sites

10.20.12pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 1st May 2009

Conservative councillors have voted to disregard the recent public consultation into the North Chelmsford Area Action Plan. An overwhelming 71% of respondents did not agree with the proposed "urban sprawl" to extend the northern edges of Chelmsford.

The Council received the report on the consultation on housing development proposals for 4000 houses in Broomfield, Newlands Spring and Greater Beaulieu Park. The Conservative Leader moved a motion which effectively committed the Council to continue with its published plans for housing in those areas - as if the public consultation had never taken place!

Some 70% didn't agree that the housing sites were in the right place for access to services and the four sites in Broomfield and Newlands Spring were all rejected as were three of the seven in Greater Beaulieu Park.

The Liberal Democrat opposition members all voted against the Leader's motion, arguing that it was a blatant disregard of the residents' views.  After the meeting Cllr Tom Smith-Hughes commented that he hoped the people in the affected areas will remember the contemptuous attitude shown to their concerns by the Conservative administration when casting their votes in the June elections.

Related Link:

Full story on housing plans.