Wharfedale MPs green belt motion development alert (From Wharfedale Observer)

Wharfedale MPs green belt motion development alert

7:00am Sunday 16th September 2012 in Local news By Jim Jack

A Wharfedale MP is calling on the Government to keep the country’s Green Belt protected.

Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem, Leeds North West) has tabled a Parliamentary motion in response to reports the Government is aiming to speed up planning decisions and, under certain circum-stances, encourage development of Green Belt land.

Mr Mulholland, who has campaigned against a number of attempts to develop Green Belt land within his constituency – most recently on fields surrounding Rawdon Billing – said: “Reports the Government intends to legislate to speed up planning decisions and encourage development of Green Belt land, if certain conditions are met, are extremely concerning.

“Green Belts play a vital role. We have all seen the strength of feeling in local communities against the prospect of the development of Green Belt land, so it is vital any plans to speed up planning decisions do not encourage such development.”

The issue of Rawdon Billing was also raised by Stuart Andrew, the Conservative MP for Pudsey, Horsforth and Aireborough, in Parliament last week.

Mr Andrew stressed his concern about green spaces against a backdrop of an “unprecedented” number of developments in his constituency in recent years.

He asked for reassurances from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, about the future of areas such as Rawdon Billing “which are as important to my constituents as the Yorkshire Dales are to the whole nation”.

He said: “I am extremely concerned by the fact we have already lost green spaces in Guiseley, Farsley and Yeadon, despite the availability of brownfield sites in all these areas, but the Secretary of State’s comments concerning the Government’s new planning measures have served as some reassurance this will not be allowed to happen in the future.

“Protecting green spaces and ensuring that developing brownfield sites is given priority is one of my principal goals as a politician, and I would like to assure all my constituents I am continuing to follow this issue closely as I know how important it is to our area.”

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