Press release on "Garden-Grabbing" 12-1-08

6.39.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Sat 12th Jan 2008

"Who will stop Garden-Grabbing? asks Lib. Dem. councillor?

A statement by a junior minister in the House of Lords raises an interesting opportunity locally to put a brake on the replacement of large houses and gardens by blocks of flats, say local Liberal Democrats.

For years Stockton, along with dozens of other councils, has been told by the Labour government that gardens are brownfield sites so new houses and flats can be built on them.

During an exchange about Housing and Town Planning started by Liberal Democrat Lord Greaves, Baroness Morgan of Drefelin (Government whip) said, "local authorities can ensure that as a local policy they exclude gardens from the brownfield allocation."

Eaglescliffe Liberal Democrat Councillor John Fletcher says,

"These developments are very unpopular among the residents I represent, who feel that the character of the area is being changed. Politicians of all parties make statements agreeing. But, who will stop garden-grabbing?

"In the past our Labour MP has blamed Stockton Council for not being firm enough with developers, but it was her Government which made the rules that tied councils' hands. Stockton Council's Labour Cabinet Member for Regeneration says that planning applications are treated with sensitivity.

"Will he now tell Planning Officers to take Baroness Morgan's window of opportunity? Or is this just something which the Government says publicly that councils can do, but privately puts obstacles in the way?

"I will be asking these questions in Council."