Brownfields First: Rugby Liberal Democrats welcome Housing Study

A major report by the University of the West England shows that there is space for a million new houses on "brownfield" sites but that Local Government minister Eric Pickles' national planning policies are forcing councils to grant planning permission for new housing on prime agricultural land.

The report "From wasted space to living space" is available to download here http://www.cpre.org.uk/media-centre/latest-news-releases/item/3784-england-has-space-for-at-least-1-million-homes-on-brownfield-land. In a foreword to the report Lord Richard Rogers says "We still have capacity for more than one million homes on brownfield sites …".

Rugby Liberal Democrats welcome the publication of this report.

The availability of so much land contrasts with the pressure local tory councillors say they are coming under from their own ministers in the government - see http://rugbylibdems.org.uk/en/article/2014/945569/dunchurch-parish-council-meeting-condemns-dun-cow-junction-plans .

We say "Local Government minister Eric Pickles should back off and stop squeezing local authorities like Rugby which have granted planning permission for major housing developments. Six thousand houses are planned for the Rugby Radio Masts site alone - enough to meet Rugby's needs for many years to come".