The public information day at Kempton Park went ahead as planned and it's clear that Redrow, the prospective developers, are in for the long haul. We can expect the Company to use its considerable resources to influence the local plan, currently undergoing revision, to include Kempton Park green belt for residential development.
David Cameron and George Osborne wrote in The Times last July: "We will always protect the green belt and make sure planning decisions are made by local people." This statement followed the Conservative manifesto which promised four times to protect the green belt. In addition, the Leader of our Council, Cllr. Ian Harvey has made his views very plain (see article of 25th April below) so you would be justified in thinking that the Kempton Park project appears to be a non-starter.
However, LOSRA is not given to speculative leaps as, despite these promises, there is ample precedent for developments on green belt land throughout the UK. The law is opaque at best (perhaps deliberately so) and only last month, Greg Clark, the Communities Secretary, approved 1,500 new homes between Gloucester and Cheltenham, with the reason that the need for housing outweighed the need to protect the green belt.
What is certain, therefore, is that the Redrow project at Kempton Park is not going to crumble under the weight of local opposition; but, with the combined opposition of our local authority and its residents, we should have a fighting chance in protecting this valuable local asset and preventing the inevitable traffic congestion in a Borough already designated as an Air Quality Management Area.
If you were unable to attend the public information day on 23rd April you can to see the information banners provided by Redrow at the event by clicking here:
