Rural Uttlesford 'Threatened by Conservative and Labour Terrible Twins'

9.49.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 23rd Jun 2008

Map showing Conservative plans for a new town at Elsenham.

Residents of Elsenham and Henham and neighbouring villages are fighting a double assault on their quality of life from 'terrible twins'; the Labour government and Uttlesford Conservatives.

Uttlesford Conservatives have identified land north-east of Elsenham Station as a possible site for an eco-town of 3000+ houses, as part of their Local Development Framework Preferred Option. Taking their lead from the Conservatives' housing plan, the Labour government has selected the same site for an eco-town of 5000+ houses.

During Uttlesford District Council's Environment Committee meeting last Tuesday (17th June), Liberal Democrat Councillor David Morson, who represents Henham and Elsenham said: "To the residents of Henham and Elsenham, it does not matter whether the bricks are blue or red; they are opposed to massive, wrongly-placed housing developments from parties of any colour."

"The visit of Housing Minister Caroline Flint MP to Uttlesford this Thursday will inevitably highlight the glaring contradictions in the position of Uttlesford District Council's ruling Conservative group. Uttlesford Conservatives oppose a 5000-home eco-town north-east of Elsenham, but they are actively campaigning for a 3000-home development on the same site. The government's consultation paper actually credits Conservative-led Uttlesford District Council with identifying the site in the first place."

Only the Liberal Democrats have kept up a consistent argument over this issue, supporting local residents and opposing both eco-town plans at Elsenham and at Hinxton. Fellow councillor for Elsenham and Henham, Cllr. Catherine Dean highlighted the real reason for Conservative opposition to the eco-town: "They just aren't willing to work with local people to provide a distributed solution for the original 4,200 homes within local towns and villages, which is better than Option 4 and will also be necessary if the eco-town goes at Elsenham."

Stansted Councillor Alan Dean added, "Stansted would be badly affected by either scheme. Uttlesford Conservatives are posturing against the eco-town proposal because it is the Labour Government's idea, but Conservative Council Leader Jim Ketteridge actively supported such a proposal in a Council press release last year."

Cllr David Morson concluded, "If the Conservatives had listened to the overwhelming opposition to its Preferred Option (Option 4) from local residents and rejected it, they would have been in a credible position now to argue against the proposed eco-town at Elsenham. As it is, only the Liberal Democrat council group and the Joint Local Parish Council Group can put forward consistent arguments to the Minister when she comes to assess the situation on Thursday."

ENDS

"Rather than putting strain on the infrastructure of other established communities, creating a new community has become a realistic option, particularly as government guidelines have changed and now regard communities of 5,000 as sustainable. We believe the fourth option we have put forward is worthy of further consideration and having considered it very carefully, it is our preferred option."

• Council press release from Conservative Council Leader Jim Ketteridge in 2007:

http://snipurl.com/2nnrm

"A new settlement at this location is the preferred option in Uttlesford District Council's core strategy (for around 3,000 homes) and is supported by studies on transport, environment, settlement. The eco-town proposal is for a minimum of 5,000 homes and possibly more in the longer term."

• The government's consultation paper "Eco-towns - Living a greener future", page 40:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/livinggreenerfuture.pdf