24/08/06 - Swindon Conservatives Attack Plans For 36 000 Additional Homes

What Are Our Two Labour MPs Doing To Put Swindon First?

Swindon Conservatives Attack Plans For 36 000 Additional Homes

Swindon Conservatives have again raised concerns over plans to force an additional 36 000 homes in Swindon.

The Labour Governments plans to concrete over the South-West, mean decisions on our town are being made either in Whitehall, or in the unelected, unaccounted South-West Regional Assembly – bypassing local residents.  This is a disgrace.

Major concerns include:

• Do we really need 36 000 homes?
• How much of Swindon’s open spaces / rural areas will be concreted over?
• Can our infrastructure handle such an explosion in growth?
• Why are the decisions made by unaccountable, unelected people from outside of Swindon?

Cllr Steve Wakefield, Toothill & Westlea, “36 000 is a scandal.  We simply do not have the infrastructure.  It is a shambles; it is being imposed on us.”

Robert Buckland, South Swindon Parliamentary Candidae, “Whilst we can’t stop the Labour Government concreting over Swindon, we will fight for the costs of providing the infrastructure to be paid by the Government.  This the very least they can do for local residents.”

Cllr Justin Tomlinson, North Swindon Parliamentary Candidate, “The Conservatives will give local communities, via their elected local Councillors, a stronger say on where new homes are built, and abolish unelected regional assemblies.  Major local decisions should be taken by local people – it is our town.”

Cllr Rod Bluh, Swindon Council Leader, "We recognise that Swindon is a growing town but the imposition of 35000 new homes by 2026 without any commitment to or understanding of the issues of providing the infrastructure and how it will be financed is a major issue and we cannot agree to any policy until these issues are properly addressed."