MP welcomes Welwyn Hatfield 10k homes decision

Published: 9:00 AM May 21, 2009 Updated: 8:02 PM November 3, 2020

WELWYN Hatfield MP Grant Shapps reacted swiftly to news that Government plans to build more than 10,000 homes in the borough had been quashed by the High Court. He said: "This ruling reveals the extent of

WELWYN Hatfield MP Grant Shapps reacted swiftly to news that Government plans to build more than 10,000 homes in the borough had been quashed by the High Court.

He said: "This ruling reveals the extent of the Government's failure in housing.

"Their insistence on top-down, headline-grabbing, Whitehall-based housing targets did not consider the needs of local communities like ours, let alone our lack of infrastructure, axed QE2 Hospital services or the deletion of our green belt.

"It's time for the Government to follow our lead, scrap these arbitrary central house building targets and work with communities like ours to incentivise house building by giving us something back in return.

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"They could start by not axing A&E and maternity at the QE2 Hospital and by helping us to rebuild Hatfield Town Centre."

A High Court judge ruled yesterday that the Government's policy strategy relating to proposed development at Hemel Hempstead, Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield was flawed and must be quashed and reconsidered.