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Dragon Interview: Local MPs Give Their Views on Guildford’s Plan and Its Impact on Election Fortunes
Published on: 14 May, 2021
Updated on: 14 May, 2021
Guildford’s Local Plan did influence the outcome of the county council elections that cost the Conservatives four seats, hanging on to Shere by only a slim margin, political leaders agree.
Editor Martin Giles talks with two local Conservative MPs, Angela Richardson (Guildford) and Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley) as they analyse the results and what they say about Tory planning policy.
Ms Richardson said she supported the Local Plan in the 2019 general election campaign although Sir Paul has objected to it from the outset. But both now call for a review as soon as possible, critical of GBC hesitancy.
We apologise for the abrupt end to the interview. The timing was not monitored closely enough and prevented us from closing by thanking Ms Richardson and Sir Paul for taking part and giving their time.
Interview recorded at 9am Friday, May 14.
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Responses to Dragon Interview: Local MPs Give Their Views on Guildford’s Plan and Its Impact on Election Fortunes
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"Found any?" - "Nope, it all looks green to me!" (See Opinion: The Future is Congested, the Future is Grey)
David Roberts
May 16, 2021 at 3:58 pm
As one of Sir Paul’s proud “Neanderthal” constituents, could I please ask a point of clarification? He claims that, under the proposed government legislation, councils will be free to ‘zone out’ development completely from the Green Belt. But can he confirm that they will also be able to restore villages ‘inset’ from the Green Belt under the Tory Local Plan without the need to embark on a revision of the Plan itself, which takes many years?
If this is the case, why did Tory candidates not make more of this happy prospect during the recent elections? Bob Hughes, for instance, made the much more far-fetched pledge to extend the Surrey Hills AONB to Send but refused to say that its Green Belt status (which gives greater protection from development) could be restored.
If ‘insetting’ is not swiftly amended, the damage to Guildford’s villages will have been done.
Sir Paul Spooner responds: A review could be carried out in sections ultimately put together for the full five-year review. This would probably be superseded by the new zoning approach which GBC could take recognition of in implementing the review.
There is nothing in the proposals in the proposals which would suggest Mr Roberts concerns Perhaps he should read the White paper https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/958420/MHCLG-Planning-Consultation.pdf