Petition launched against massive town development

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 8th Aug 2003

Andrew Simpson, Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesman, has launched a petition across the town against the proposals contained in the Milton Keynes and South Midlands Planning strategy for an additional 49,000 houses to be built in Northamptonshire.

"We are already growing the town at an alarming rate with an extra 1,000 houses planned every year up to 2016, this additional plan from John Prescott is simply unacceptable in terms of the environmental costs." said Andrew.

"I'm not against development where it is part of the organic growth of the town and planned to improve the infrastructure to build communities not vast housing estates. It's ironic that Tony Blair visits Blackthorn last week and praises work to tackle crime on the estate. An estate that was built as part of previous Government's plans to expand the town and shows how future problems can be created through development".

"This level of housing will bring back questions over the future of green space around our town"

The Government Strategy for the Development of Milton Keynes and the South Midlands is now out to public consultation until 13th October. The strategy contains a proposal for an additional 29,400 homes in Northampton up to 2021 with another 40,000 for Corby/Kettering/Wellingborough in the same period.

"It's important people make their feelings known about these proposals" continued Andrew. "This level of housing development will bring back questions over the future green space round the town - the battle for Dallington Heath for example will be back with us before we know it"

Liberal Democrats are running the petition across the town in the next month.