Letter: Councillor’s Response Reveals a Lack of Will to Take Action

Published on: 30 Jul, 2021
Updated on: 30 Jul, 2021

From: Ben Paton

In response to: We Can’t Simply ‘Unbake’ the Local Plan

Cllr John Rigg’s letter is devoid of any information about concrete action being taken to amend Guildford’s 2019 Local Plan.

What action has the borough council taken to amend the housing target? What action has the council taken to recalculate the population growth forecasts to reflect the distortions caused by university students?

It is also devoid of any credible legal argument. The analogy with a baked cake is just wrong. Remainers said the same about leaving the European Union. If there is a will then a way can be found.

What are the legal steps required to amend the 2019 Local Plan? How has the council acted to execute those steps?

The statement, “The second point is we will still have to deliver the huge numbers of new homes” is just an uncorroborated assertion. Huge numbers of new homes have already been approved.

Where is the analysis of the numbers of houses already in the pipeline?

Is it not the case that substantial over provision of houses is already “baked in”?

The hand-wringing, patronising and defeatist tone of this letter shows that the council lacks the will to take appropriate action.