SANDRA SLAMS GOVERNMENT OVER PLANNING POLICY

4.16.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 12th May 2008

Local MP Sandra Gidley has today hit out at the Labour government, vowing to write to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, after a parliamentary answer revealed that Ministers have no plans to reverse planning policy which allows for development on Hampshire's prime agricultural land.

Commenting from Westminster, Sandra said:

"Gordon Brown's obsession with Soviet-style central control simply isn't working. The government should empower local communities to take their own housing decisions, not impose them from Whitehall.

"The government's policy is leading to thousands of new homes being built on some of the most fertile farm land in the Southern Test Valley, and I will be writing to the minister to express my outrage at this short-sighted policy."

The decision to accept the proposal for 800 new homes to be built on the Abbotswood site was taken in 2005 by the Conservative-controlled County Council. It later emerged that one of the property developers involved in the proposed development, The Perbury Group, donated money to Conservative Parliamentary Candidate Caroline Nokes' campaign fund only a few weeks after the decision was taken.

"Labour are letting the people of Hampshire down, and it is clear that the Tories are no better. They can't be trusted to come to the rescue. They supported the development proposals - against the wishes of local people" continued Sandra.

"Questions must be asked of both parties. Do they favour the profits of property developers over the produce from our local farmers?

"Unlike our opponents, I guarantee that the Liberal Democrats and I will continue to stand up for the green fields of Test Valley."

ENDS