Liberal Democrats Give Cautious Welcome to Housing Plans

9.07.04pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 9th Sep 2007

Milton Keynes Council's Liberal Democrat leader has given a cautious welcome to the recommendations of the independent Inspector's Panel report on the South-East Plan. The report endorses the position taken by the LibDem-run Council.

The Liberal Democrats and Milton Keynes residents to the East of the M1 ran a major campaign earlier this year to show that alternative plans put forward by Tory-run Bucks County and Aylesbury Vale District Councils were flawed. The Liberal Democrats also strongly argued that Milton Keynes should not be asked to build even more homes than it has already been allocated.

"The Lib Dems are delighted that the independent Panel which looked at the SE Plan sees no need to build houses to the East of the motorway," said Councillor Isobel McCall. "We are also relieved that the Panel doesn't believe there is a case for Milton Keynes to be asked to build even more homes, although the Government asked that more homes should be considered in the South-East."

The Panel report praises the Milton Keynes infrastructure tariff drawn up by Milton Keynes Partnership and supported by Milton Keynes Council. "The tariff provides certainty that most of the infrastructure we require will be built. Our support for growth has always been conditional on the infrastructure being provided at the right time," continued the Council Leader.

The Panel also gave strong support to the East-West rail link and suggested that new homes could be accommodated along its route, to the South-West and South-East of the City. "There is cross-party support for this rail link along the whole route but progress seems to be two steps forward and one step back. The Panel's support for East-West rail will give a welcome boost to the campaign to get the line opened and I hope this will encourage the Government to take it seriously," said Isobel.

"The only fly in the ointment is that the Panel did not support the Council's demands that Milton Keynes should not be asked to take a large proportion of London's waste as well as the new homes. We will continue to fight to stop this waste being dumped in Milton Keynes."

The Liberal Democrats have pledged to fight any increase in housing totals for Milton Keynes following the Brown Government's announcement of a massive increase in its housing targets.