Consultation over Growth Plans is Inadequate says Lib Dem

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 10th Jul 2009

Andrew Simpson, the Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Northampton North, has called for more time to be given to allow Northampton people to comment on growth plans for the town. This follows the announcement by the West Northamptonshire Joint Planning Unit that consultation will be held over August in order to meet Government deadlines.

"This is the wrong time of year to be trying to consult people on such major plans for the future of our town. To think it is adequate to do this over just six weeks in peak holiday season is selling the people of the town short. The Government must allow more time for this".

The Joint Strategic Planning Committee will be issuing plans shortly which show how the Governments target of 40,000 new homes will be achieved in Northampton. The Emergent Joint Core Strategy identifies major growth areas to the south of the town with other controversial developments planned to the north.

"The rush to sort this plan over the heads of local people in this manner will do untold damage to our democratic system. People are feeling helpless enough to be able to influence things and the way this is being handled confirm their worst fears that it is all being directed centrally. I hope our MP's will now press the Government to give West Northamptonshire more time to consult properly on this."