Major concerns over new homes plan (From Worcester News)

Major concerns over new homes plan

6:59pm Monday 15th October 2007 in News By David Paine, @davidpaineWN #worcsnews

COUNTY councillors have raised serious concerns about Government plans to build up to 32,000 new homes across south Worcestershire over the next 20 years.

During a two-hour debate at County Hall, members said they were worried the homes would be built without necessary infrastructure being put in place and that they would be left to foot the bill.

Coun Alwyn Davies, who is deputy leader of Worcestershire County Council and represents Hallow, warned the authority would have to bid for funding from the Government in order to build infrastructure such as new roads, schools, and hospitals.

As a result coun Mary Drinkwater, who represents St Stephen ward in Worcester, said: "Worcester has a largely Victorian drainage system and it's already suffrered from huge housing development over the last 30 years. There is a limit to what the infrasructure can take and it will need massive improvement. I fear we are more likely to be offered peanuts than huge sums of money."

West Midlands Regional Assembly director of policy Rose Poulter, who had earlier given a presentation to the meeting, also heard coun Drinkwater's concerns homes would be built on flood plains in order to accomodate the Government's preferred figures which form a part of its Regional Spatial Strategy - a blueprint for how the county should look in 20 years time.

Coun Liz Tucker, who represents Pershore, said: "If we fail in our bids, and lets face it we have a history of failing in our bids, we are going to be at the mercy of big developers."

Coun Sue Askin, who represents Claines, said more work to be done to show how the county will cope with the extra demand on our roads.

"It has got to be managed properly," she said. "At this rates we are going to be overcrowded and sitting in traffic jams feeling thoroughly unhappy."

Meanwhile, leader of the council George Lord said he was concerned an environmental impact assessment to European Union standards had not been conducted and urged for one to be carried out.

Cabinet member for planning, economy and performance coun Simon Geraghty, who led the debate, said afterwards it was an important discussion to have before the county council puts together its response to the plans at the beginning of next year.

"It was important to get the views of all members from across the authority, so this debate was vital to ensure all the matters that are important to Worcestershire are put forward," he said. "And there were recurring themes in the debate, not least the very real need that whatever housing and employment growth we are allocated should have the necessary funding for the infrastructure