Northumberland Communities left weak and vulnerable
So I was asked to simply explain the facts around the Core Strategy and what it means.
We have seen the Core Strategy removed by the Conservative Council, one of the first actions they did.
Why did Labour lead the way with others to vote against this to try and stop it.
Well for me this paragraph in the Cabinet Member for Plannings own report was enough. He then voted against his own advice as the Tory whip was out ahead of Northumberland's interests.
One of the main additional reasons is that we believed the changes they wished to make could simply have been achieved via the modification procedure. This would then have left the County and its communities protected.
The Core Strategy is far more than just developments and planning it was the document created over a decade for economic growth, job creation and many other strands needed to create a prosperous Northumberland. It's important we don't forget the additional things aside from planning we have now lost.
Currently because of its removal we have land owners being encouraged to come forward by agents and put in plans for the land they hold. Foreign consortiums looking at land to place applications knowing that the Council is in a weak position to protect its communities or even contemplate rejecting applications.
They know that now, without this document they hold the upper hand at appeal.
No longer will the Core Strategy or anything as strong be in place to guide development, to stop over development or indeed protect smaller communities from giant developments.
No longer is a plan in place protecting Town Centers and ensuring only suitable developments come forward that don't harm independent traders or suck the life out of town centres. All these protections gone.
No longer does the outside world see Northumberland as a County with a strong plan for success. A County hungry for jobs and economic growth, instead we are preceivsd as the County with no plan, no vision, no determination to succeed.
Northumberland is now seen as a weak, vulnerable County with developers circling like vultures and a Council flapping around knowing they've made a mistake.
It's going to be at least 2yrs before a resubmitted plan gets approval in that time Northumberland could potentially be saturated with unwanted developments.
All this so the Tories can put a political mark on a plan they firstly were the largest party creating and then withdrew and didn't finish the job.
Sad times, we will, as Labour Poliitcians always put Northumberland first and highlight issues along the way and stand up for communities when we can.
