LIB DEMS ROUT OPPOSITION ON HOUSING PLANS

BRISTOL desperately needs thousands of new homes - but not at the expense of the green belt and public open space.
That’s the official view of the city council following a debate tonight (Tues) in which Liberal Democrats routed both main opposition parties over the government’s long-term housing plans.
The majority Lib Dems backed Tory calls for ministers to rethink their regional spatial strategy (RSS), which threatens the green belt around Bristol and calls for 36,000 new homes in the city itself by 2026.
But the Lib Dems amended a Tory motion at tonight’s full council meeting to make clear their view that thousands more homes were needed to meet demand in Bristol.
Barbara Janke, Lib Dem leader of the council, said: “We need more housing, particularly for young people.”
She called for “innovative solutions” such as higher-density housing and European-style award-winning schemes to ensure development was matched and supported by good transport links and better local services.
Jon Rogers, executive member for transport and sustainability, who put forward the amendment, said housing should not go ahead in the green belt until brownfield sites had been used.
Mark Wright, executive member for housing, said there was a shortage of homes and nearly 20,000 people on the waiting list.
And he attacked advice being given to Tory councils by senior MP Caroline Spelman to drag their feet on development plans until after the next general election.
“It’s grossly irresponsible,” he said, warning that an incoming Tory government could mean many fewer homes and the housing market would again be dangerously inflated.
“Our amendment is striking a happy medium between the national Tory policy and the national Labour policy.”
The amended motion, attacking both the RSS figures and Ms Spelman’s advice, was carried. A Labour amendment to the motion failed.