Flawed Local Plan Means Green Belt In Coventry Is Being Targeted | The Conservative Party Skip to main content
Site logo

Main navigation

  • Home
  • About Andy Street
  • News
  • Campaigns
  • Where you live
  • Get Involved
  • Contact
Site logo

Flawed Local Plan Means Green Belt In Coventry Is Being Targeted

  • Tweet
Tuesday, 23 March, 2021
Kings Hill is one of the cherished open spaces that is being threatened by development in Coventry.

Coventry’s threatened green belt can be protected if council chiefs review a flawed plan that is making it too easy for developers to build on open spaces.

My Brownfield First policy has helped protect cherished beauty spots across the region, and the City Council’s Local Plan is based on outdated statistics, leading to too many planning applications on the green belt.

There is deep, deep concern for Coventry’s Green Belt and the threat posed to local beauty spots by this flawed Local Plan.

Andy Street believes that reclaiming old industrial sites for development – as part of his ‘Brownfield first policy –can help protect the green belt from development.

This Local Plan is now wreaking irreversible damage to the City and its environment and a change of direction is vital if we are to stop further waves of planning applications for greenfield sites.

As long as this fundamentally flawed Local Plan is in place, developers will continue to target Coventry’s open spaces.

The Local Plan is an official document setting out the city’s plan for the future development of the local area, guiding decisions on whether or not planning applications can be granted and outlining how many homes are built and where.

Last year, more than 2000 people signed a petition launched by myself and Coventry Conservative leader Councillor Gary Ridley calling on council chiefs to the Local Plan, which was adopted in 2018. However, the Council has said it will not review the plan until 2022.

Andy Street says “we must protect Coventry’s green belt.”

The decision has allowed much-loved open spaces at Kings Hill, Eastern Green and Keresley to be developed, despite an outcry from residents.

Cllr Ridley explained that the Plan was based on predictions that Coventry’s population would grow massively by 2031, which are now unlikely to be accurate.

“The Local Plan was based on a prediction from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) which projected a population increase in Coventry of 31% by 2031, but in fact, the rate has slowed massively,” he said.

“We now have a letter from the ONS which confirms the annual growth rate has slowed to just 1.3% - the lowest in a decade. We are deeply concerned that this is distorting local planning policy – and leading to the unnecessary targeting of the green belt for development. It can’t go on like this.”

Cllr Ridley added that the flaws in the Local Plan had been compounded by Council’s approach, which meant that of the 25,000 homes to be built within the City, 8,000 are on former Green Belt sites. He added that of the 17,000 outside the City many are on Green Belt sites close to Coventry – including Kings Hill, which borders the city.

Andy Street and Coventry Conservative leader Cllr Gary Ridley say that the Labour city council’s refusal to review its flawed Local Plan is resulting in too many green belt areas being targeted by developers.

Coventry should have a policy of building on Brownfield sites first, which has been shown to work elsewhere in the West Midlands, but this plan is giving a green light to developers to target the countryside.

We are providing regional funding to enable more brownfield sites to be regenerated – for example at the old gasworks at Abbotts Lane, but this was recently turned down by the council.

 

  • Local News

You may also be interested in

Himley View, Pensnett

Building more homes, protecting green spaces

Sarginsons, Coventry

Coventry

Andy's Street Clean with local litter picking volunteers in Coventry

Let’s Get Our Streets Cleaned Up Ahead Of The Commonwealth Games

Monday, 26 April, 2021

I will lead The Great West Midlands Clean Up campaign, to clean up the region ahead of the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

After joining a community clean up of the Lapal Canal in Weoley Castle in Birmingham, where local volunteers were removing rubbish and taking it to the tip.

Hear more from Andy

Stay informed on this and other local issues.

The information you provide is used in accordance with our Data Collection and Use policy. By clicking this button you agree to your information being used in accordance with that policy.

Show only

  • Articles
  • Local News
  • Opinions
  • Speeches in Parliament

The Conservative Party

Footer

  • About RSS
  • Accessibility
  • Cookies
  • Privacy
  • About Andy Street
Promoted by Tony Lee on behalf of Andy Street both of Campaign Centre, 1-7 Langleys Road, Birmingham B29 6HR
Copyright 2022 The Conservative Party . All rights reserved.
Powered by Bluetree