The council has fallen behind with new homes targets in recent years and has not put in place a long-term plan for housing, leaving green spaces everywhere open to development. Under the Labour government's
2004 Planning Act R&C Council was forced to build 300 new houses every year, regardless of population - the target was only met in two of the past eight years.
The recently overturned planning decision on the Galley Hill development at Guisborough has concerned Ian Swales and his colleagues in the Lib Dems locally who believe that the Council's lack of forward planning has caused a land-grabbing free-for-all.
Redcar MP, Ian Swales commented:
"Residents of Redcar and Cleveland are living in fear of losing their green areas because the ruling group on the council has failed to meet the targets set by the last Labour Government and has never had a sustainable long-term plan.
"Because of this failure the development limits set by the local authority can be bypassed by developers. The top of Windy Hill Lane in Marske is already under threat and I'm afraid more and more of our beautiful green wedges could fall victim to the council's incompetence."
Cllr Chris Abbott, Lib Dem spokesperson for housing commented on proposed developments on green space in Redcar:
"Plans to build a limited number of houses on the perimeter of Newcomen Primary School Playing field, in Mersey Road, has been quietly increased without proper consultation. Plans for housing on Sacred Heart playing field, also in Mersey Road, are also being drawn up, despite the area being prone to serious and well publicised flooding.
"Legal planning conditions on both these sites were made to allow community use of school playing fields in exchange for building new primary and secondary schools in Mersey Road at Redcar. Once planning permission was granted the conditions, agreed with Sport England have simply been ignored."
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