Whose plan for 70,000 houses?

You may have received an email from Mr. Davey alleging that there’s a Tory-backed plan to build 70,000 new houses – ‘a whole new Borough’- in Chessington. Not only did i receive this but I also had a leaflet pushed through my letter box and I see that the Comet is carrying a version of the story on its website.

Not surprisingly I made enquiries into the truth or otherwise of this scare, the results of which I share with you here.

The Deputy Mayor for Housing and Land, Richard Blakeway attended the launch of a London First report, Home Truths, as part of a panel of experts. The contents of the report were not produced by the GLA, nor endorsed by them. One of the recommendations in the report regards Chessington, however this was not highlighted to the Deputy Mayor, nor did he comment on it.

In contrast, as Mayor Boris Johnson has ensured that measures protecting the green belt are a key part of all his housing and planning strategies. In Kingston, and across the outer boroughs, he strengthened the protections of green spaces and enabled boroughs to introduce a presumption against development on gardens through the London Plan.

 

The truth is often less dramatic than the propaganda put out by frightened politicians. We saw plenty of this kind of thing from the same source in 2010 – a point recently acknowledged by Mr. Falchikov. Please note that, apart from your vote, what they really want is your email address which you will give them by signing their petition. They will then be able to send you much more of the same.

Where do I stand on this?

Knowing Chessington and its green belt well I just wonder where anywhere near that number of new homes would fit. There’s already massive building going on in the ‘Epsom Cluster’ which is clogging Malden Rushett, Chessington and Hook with traffic and 70,000 homes would be, as Mr. Davey says, ‘a whole new Borough’. In any case, if anyone were to propose anything so outlandish as this, I should oppose them, irrespective of party.