Green belt development restrictions should be relaxed to encourage inward investors to the West Midlands, parliamentary candidates told a gathering of Birmingham property professionals on Monday.
Speaking at Property Question Time, sponsored by Chesterton, the Conservative candidate for Ladywell and partner at law firm McKenna Shaleish Vara said: “Its our party policy to create larger sites for inward investment. The next step is to make sure it is directed to the areas with specialist skills and in this case the West Midlands is well placed to attract manufacturing type investments.”
Deputy shadow Leader of the House and candidate for Perry Bar Jeff Rooker said: “I supported the Minworth application [for 200,000 sq m of greenbelt development near Peddimore], but I think that if you take a slug out of the greenbelt, you need replace it with greenbelt in the city centre.”
However, the candiates were less clear on how to speed up the planning process. Responding to a question from Chesterton director Philip King, John Hemming, Liberal Democrat candidate for Yardley argued: “There is a contradiction between being responsive to public opinion and speeding up planning applications. The only way you could speed up the process without loss of responsiveness would be at an administrative level.”
Rooker took up the point: “Sometimes delays are caused by unrealistic demands of planning gain. If I had my way we would abolish it…I would not be surprised if in his next report Lord Nolan recommends it be abolished.”
EGi News 23/04/97
