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16
Aug 2020
Harrogate district MPs silent on government planning reforms
Harrogate District MPs are remaining tight-lipped about the government's planning proposals as a storm brews within the Conservative party over the reforms.
If passed, the proposals would have a big impact locally and could see Harrogate Borough Council's Local Plan redrawn so land would fall into one of three categories: growth, renewal or protected.
The government could also set a fresh housing needs requirement for Harrogate if they think more homes should be built on brownfield sites within the district.
The Stray Ferret asked Conservative MPs Andrew Jones, Julian Smith and Nigel Adams whether they backed the proposals but none responded at the time of publication.
The BBC reported last week that one Tory MP is predicting "quite a battle" in the Conservative party over the issue.
Conservative MP for the Cotswolds Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said he is worried the reforms will lead to "the slums of tomorrow" due to lower quality housing being built in affluent areas.
On the Today Programme this morning, Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight Bob Seely even suggested that a large amount of new homes being built on the island could affect his majority at the next General Election.
James Jamieson, the Local Government Association's chairman and a Conservative councillor also said a loss of local control over developments "would be a concern."
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The government wants to see 300,000 homes built a year in the UK and housing minister Robert Jenrick said the proposals will "cut red tape" to deliver housebuilding on a faster scale.
But it's been criticised by Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) who called the proposals "disgrace" and the Labour Party who called it a "developers' charter".
Pat Marsh, leader of the Liberal Democrats on Harrogate Borough Council, said the government's planning reforms won't do enough for affordable or social housing in the district.
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