'No' to Imposed Growth petition handed in to Gordon Brown

12.00.00am GMT Mon 15th Feb 2010

The three local candidates handing in the petition to 10 Downing Street

Local Liberal Democrats have handed in a 1,000 strong petition to Gordon Brown against plans for 40,000 houses to be built around the Northampton.

"These housing numbers seem entirely arbitrary and without any sound basis. More worryingly they take no account of the pressure these homes would put on the wider infrastructure across Northamptonshire and more exactly South Northamptonshire" said Scott Collins, Parliamentary candidate for South Northamptonshire.

"Local needs should be decided upon on a local basis with all the information to hand and not made by some department or other in Westminster cut off from the reality on the ground. They need to understand the area and how in functions not just a dot on a map or a name in a list of sites"

The petition was organised by Andrew Simpson, Parliamentary candidate for Northampton North who said "We have said all along that the Government is wrong to impose this level of housing developments on our town. The new housing numbers would mean the loss of valuable green field sites around Northampton and put an unacceptable strain on already overburdened roads, schools, healthcare and other public services."

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Northampton South, Cllr Paul Varnsverry added "Huge swathes of Northamptonshire countryside would have to be concreted over to accommodate the Government's plans. Whilst we can all accept some new housing is needed, the current level is in excess of what should be imposed on Northampton and is proposed without suitable safeguards on provision of essential services and preservation of green spaces."

Scott concluded "One of the real assets of our county is its countryside and the green spaces in and around our towns. If we are not careful all that will be put at risk if the Government's plans go ahead unchallenged."