THE scrapping of the controversial regional spatial strategy by the new coalition government will be welcomed by many opposed to the building of more than 25,000 homes across the south of the county.

This newspaper has questioned often the rationale behind the strategy’s figures given the current parlous state of the housing market in particular and the economy in general.

We have also raised concerns about the lack of infrastructure planning in the strategy.

In general, we welcome the decision to sound the strategy’s death knell.

A policy for meeting future housing demand will be needed but we see no reason why this cannot be determined at a local level rather than be imposed by Whitehall.

Our key concern, however, is the huge amount of money spent – and ultimately wasted – by our local councils on this project at a time when swingeing public sector cuts are about to be announced.