RESIDENTS fighting plans to build almost 200 homes on Bewdley farm land have thrown their support behind a national campaign to change Government housing policy.
The Bewdley Says No to Gladman group said people needed to have a greater say in housing policy and therefore backed ‘All4BetterDevelopment’, which has launched a parliamentary petition to bring about change.
Bedfordshire resident Adam Zerny started the national campaign in response to an application being submitted for a large scale housing development in his home town of Potton.
This petition calls for a parliamentary debate on government housing and planning policy over building on greenfield land and seeks community right of appeal on decisions and the removal of the presumption in favour of sustainable development.
So far, 18,000 signatures have been collected and if it hits 100,000 by the July 12 deadline, it will force a parliamentary debate on the issue.
Mr Zerny said: “I contacted 80 groups across the country and discovered that, rather than being on our own, there were a lot of other people facing the same issues as us.
“None of us are opposed to development but we are against over development of the countryside and want to change policy in the two ways.
“If we get 100,000 signatures we can force a parliamentary debate on the issue.”
In Bewdley, Gladman Developments are looking to create 195 new homes – 59 of which would be affordable – on land off The Lakes Road.
Rod Stanczyszyn, chair of the Bewdley Says No to Gladman campaign, said: “The committee is delighted to support the All4BetterDevelopment campaign with its parliamentary petition.
“The issue of aggressive private companies, such as Gladman, ignoring approved local plans and forcing through inappropriate housing applications is rife throughout the country. It is about time this issue was taken seriously by government.
“In particular, a way must be found to increase the voice of local communities in the planning process so that fewer blights on the countryside are produced in the future.”
People can access the petition by visiting https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/177333
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