After almost five years of Liberal Democrat majority control at Mole Valley District Council, Mole Valley has been left without a viable Local Plan and without the prospect of getting one anytime in the neat future.
As a result of the Lib Dems’ embarrassing failure over several years to produce a workable Local Plan, our precious Green Belt is now coming under attack from speculative planning applications and aggressive developers who are rubbing their hands in glee at having found such an incompetently run local authority.
Responding to a recent statement from the Lib Dem Cabinet Member for Planning, Sir Paul Beresford said:
‘Over the past five years the Lib Dems have deployed every underhand political trick in the book to dodge responsibility for this fiasco. They have blamed their predecessors; they have made bold promises all of which were left unfulfilled - and they have tried to shift blame to faraway officials in Westminster. With irreplaceable Green Belt sites being attacked now, such obfuscation is no longer acceptable to residents.’
We have heard previously from local Lib Dems that they would act to remove all Green Belt sites from the Local Plan after recognising the extent of local anger. That promise has, like so many others made by our Local Lib Dems, come to absolutely nothing. Sir Paul further noted that:
‘When the Lib Dems gave the undertaking to remove Green Belt sites from their botched Local Plan, they correctly asserted that Mole Valley District Council has the ability to make such changes. Now, for reasons entirely unclear, they have walked away from this commitment and refused to use the powers clearly available to them to protect those Green Belt sites now under serious threat of development.’ Sir Paul continued:
‘It has been many months since Mole Valley’s Local Plan was “paused” mid inquiry and councillors announced they would consider how best to proceed. It is now clear that this time has been squandered - Lib Dem councillors have no new proposals, no new strategy and no workable plans to save our Green Belt. I am appalled by their inertia and indifference. A Local Plan approved today will impact this constituency, for better or worse, for decades to come – and the Lib Dems just don’t seem to care.’
Having realised that they do not have the competence or vision to produce even an acceptable Local Plan, the Lib Dems have now, shamefully, attempted to absolve themselves of responsibility and blame by suggesting that they will await guidance from the Planning Inspector rather than dare to make a policy decision of their own.
‘It shows real weakness and lack of conviction’ said Sir Paul ‘we elect district councillors to grapple with important local matters. Planning decisions are amongst the most vital of these. I condemn without qualification the Lib Dem attempt to abandon their responsibilities and outsource the Local Plan making process to the Inspector. I urge them to finally get a grip; withdraw their flawed Plan; urgently amend it to exclude all Green Belt sites; and then resubmit. This process need not be lengthy if approached with sufficient urgency and there is no doubt that the council has the power to do it. This is the last, best chance to preserve Mole Valley’s Green Belt for future generations. I hope it is not wasted.’
