HOUSING PLAN IS "ENVIRONMENTAL VANDALISM" - GIDLEY

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 6th May 2009

City MP Sandra Gidley has branded the final draft of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS), published today, as "wilful and deliberate environmental vandalism".

The Spatial Strategy plans to build 80,000 homes around South Hampshire by 2026, which would see the greenbelt separating Romsey from Southampton all but disappear.

Commenting today from Westminster, Sandra said:

"The final draft of the Regional Spatial Strategy is nothing short of madness. The proposed mass development of the open countryside between Southampton and Romsey would constitute wilful and deliberate environmental vandalism.

"Local people are best placed to know what housing is needed and where. Unfortunately, this plan would not have looked out of place in the Stalinist Soviet Union.

"Instead, our local councils must be given time to carry out a full audit of brownfield sites in Southampton and the southern Test Valley, and wherever possible allocate housing to such locations. It is also crucial that we use the 91,000 homes that are empty across the South East.

"We need to bring together the passion and the commitment I have seen across the area against these plans and just say no to the RSS."

ENDS