PLANS to build 15,000 homes in Welwyn Hatfield will be ripped up – IF the Tories win the next General Election. Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps made the vow yesterday (Tuesday) as he outlined how his party would put a stop to the Government's plans t

PLANS to build 15,000 homes in Welwyn Hatfield will be ripped up - IF the Tories win the next General Election.

Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps made the vow yesterday (Tuesday) as he outlined how his party would put a stop to the Government's plans to concrete over our Green Belt.

Under current proposals, the borough has to build 10,000 homes by 2021 - and a further 5,000 on top of that in the following 10 years.

But the Conservatives published their own green paper which promises to put the future of planning and house-building firmly back in the hands of local people. Mr Shapps said under a Tory government, national house-building targets, the East of England Regional Assembly AND the East of England Plan would all be scrapped. He said: "This Labour Government has decided that it's fine to build over our Green Belt. We do not agree. "Rather than having a system where central government and ministers say what is best for us locally, we'll ensure that it's local people who are put back in control of our own planning destiny."

Mr Shapps said the Tories recognised that more housing was required, and that Welwyn Hatfield was "happy" to accommodate 6,000 homes in the coming years.

He added: "Our approach will ensure that local people get something in return when houses are built, so we've pledged that council tax from each new home built here would be kept by Welwyn Hatfield.

"That way, local services can be improved or council tax reduced, so we will get something in return when homes are built.