Conference Focuses on Green Belt (23/10/06)
Over 200 people, including district, town and parish councillors, landowners, representatives from the development industry, environmental lobby groups and other stakeholders and interested parties attended the day to hear expert speakers and give their views about how a review of the green belt should be carried out in order to make way for the governments growth plans for South Bedfordshire and Luton.
The Milton Keynes South Midlands Sub-Regional Strategy (MKSMSRS) has identified the need to review green belt boundaries around the north and east of the Luton/Dunstable/Houghton Regis conurbation and around Leighton-Linslade to provide for potential development of up to 43,000 homes by 2031.
Executive Member with responsibility for planning and rural affairs, Councillor Tom Nicols said: "Undertaking a review of the green belt is a daunting task and we want to give our parishes and rural areas the chance to have their say about what happens within the district.
"The governments Sustainable Communities Plan and the Milton Keynes and South Midlands Sub-Regional Strategy have set out a programme of tremendous growth in our area. Some of this can be absorbed with the existing built up areas within our towns, however the scale of growth is very significant indeed and it is clear that South Bedfordshire wont be able to implement the growth without rolling back the green belt to some level.
"This conference is our first step in trying to address how we might go about a green belt review by talking directly about the issues that we face in planning for the green belt, and how we can manage it in the longer term. Hopefully we have set a tone of determination by the District Council that we will consult local views and that they will be taken on board."
The information gathered at the conference will contribute to the drawing up of a draft issues and options paper on the role and function of the South Bedfordshire green belt during and post growth, which is due to be published in spring 2007.
Speakers who shared their views at the conference were Councillor Nicols; John Hoad, Corporate Service Manager for Planning and Economy at the District Council; Victoria Harvey from Friends of the Earth; John Williamson from the Government Office for the East of England (GO-East); Terry Robinson, Director of Growth Areas from Natural England; Bob Williams, Chief Executive of Arnold White Estates; Liam Colgan from Crown Estates; and Richard Woolnough from the Greensand Trust.
Speaking at the conference, Victoria Harvey said: "The governments plans are both a challenge and a warning for us at a local level. If done well, we can create something wonderful that will really enhance and support our town centres, dramatically improve our quality of life and really improve our local countryside. It is a question of working together and pooling resources. We really need to work in partnership, seize the opportunity and look to the future."
Those who attended the conference included parish councillors, representatives from the Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity and the Joint Planning and Transportation Committee, councillors and officers from adjoining local authorities, national and local interest groups, local community groups, local developers and landowners and other relevant groups.
Transcripts of the presentations given by the speaker can be found online, or for more information, contact the communications team on 01582 474014
