Chelmsford Faces Housing Explosion

Yet more house-building in Chelmsford came under attack again at a regional conference in Luton. Stephen Robinson, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for West Chelmsford, attacked the plans in his speech to the Lib Dem regional conference held on Saturday 30 October. Conference details: www.east.libdems.org/conference.htm

"Chelmsford is facing a housing explosion over the next twenty years", predicted Mr Robinson. "The Labour Government is forcing 478,000 new homes on the East of England and now they are trying to add another 18,000 on top of that. With 14,000 over 20 years proposed for us in Chelmsford, the implications are enormous."

Mr Robinson added, "Liberal Democrats believe that future development should be based on sustainable principles. That means 'brown-field' sites should be developed first and that any further building must have easy access to major transport links. Furthermore, investment in schools, surgeries, community centres and the like is absolutely essential as part of any developments.

"All new buildings should be of the highest possible design quality and take up less green space than is the current average for new development. The green belt to the south should be protected but my concern is that this does not extend to the green fields to the north east and north west of Chelmsford.

"It is about time that the Conservative Borough Council told us where they are going to put the currently-planned houses. With these sorts of extra numbers being proposed by the Government, no wonder there has been a deathly silence on this subject from the two Chelmsford Labour councillors."

Related Links

• Read more about Chelmsford council's development plans