Boris 'puts the heat on' Oxford Green Belt Review -
THAME's MP, Boris Johnson today pledge to fight any major urban extension to Oxford in the Green Belt to the south of the city.
At the end of 2007, government planning inspectors examining the South East Plan – the blue-print for development in the region to 2026 – recommended a limited review of Oxford’s Green Belt with the aim of allowing an urban extension to the south of the city of some 4,000 houses.
In a letter sent yesterday to Parish Councils within his constituency which lie in the Green Belt, Boris promised to 'put the heat on' Ministers on this issue and particularly on the Prime Minister who he accused of breaking a commitment to protect Green belt land.
Boris stated: "It now looks as if we are going to have to wait until the end of May before Hazel Blears makes up her mind as to whether she’s going to accept the inspectors’ recommendations to build in Oxford’s Green Belt. That amount of delay leaves us all in an uncertain position and is, quite frankly, unacceptable.
"I want the Parishes likely to be affected by the government’s plan to extend Oxford to know that I’m fully with them in opposing it.
"There is, of course, a great need to provide adequate and affordable housing. But, I remain convinced that it would be wrong to use Oxford’s Green Belt to do this given the benefits the Green Belt brings to our villages and to the city alike. I believe that Oxford City Council could find more land to use for housing within its existing boundaries."
Boris described the idea of building to the south of the city as: "..unsustainable with little prospect of the necessary infrastructure being provided by government."
He added that he believes that it will cause severe problems for the quality of life of those in the surrounding villages, those in the Blackbird Leys area of Oxford and those living in the new development.