Liberal Democrats on Redcar and Cleveland Council backed a motion opposing the Labour Council’s draft Local Plan.
Liberal Democrats together with other opposition councillors produced the closest vote ever seen at the Council when the Labour Mayor, Marske Councillor Vic Jeffries used his casting vote to push through the Plan.
The draft Local Plan proposes to build major developments on green field sites around the Borough. All around the area people fear losing their green spaces, from Ormesby to Redcar and Marske.
Lib Dems are also concerned that flooding risks and massively increased traffic flows have not been properly taken into account on the sites earmarked for housing, especially in Redcar, Marske and Nunthorpe.
Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Glyn Nightingale, said:
“The Borough needs a Local Plan, but not this one. The Plan claims to protect local green spaces, but proposes building on them. It claims to take into account the impact of development, but fails to deal with flooding and traffic problems it will make worse.
Labour has reneged on its manifesto commitment to protect green spaces.
The population of the Borough is falling, but the Council has to meet house-building targets set by the previous Labour Government.”
“The Council should be looking at developing brownfield sites first.”
“It’s staggering that such a crucial Plan has to rely on the casting vote of the Labour Mayor from Marske when all councillors should be working together to make sure we get a better vision for the future of the Borough.”
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