Market Harborough rambler calls Government shake-up of planning laws 'very worrying'

Peter Pollak, 75, launched a broadside against the controversial proposed scheme to turn the country’s entire planning system upside down.

He spoke out as a key member of the Open Spaces Society, at 155 years old the UK’s oldest national conservation group, which has also blasted the under-fire Government blueprint.

“The whole project is very worrying.

“This could lead to many more thousands of homes being built right across Harborough district.

“We all know that we need more properties for a growing population.

“But we see new houses going up right around Market Harborough – and there’s another 3,000 or so planned for Lutterworth.

“How many more do we need?

“We could end up with half of Harborough being concreted over if the Government gets its way.

“We need our fantastic open spaces now more than ever in this terrible year where people have been locked down for so long due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Peter, of Limner Street, Farndon Fields, Market Harborough.

“Not all of us can go our running or cycling.

“But so many of us can walk, get out and breathe in fresh air.

“And it is so good for both our physical and mental health that we can go out and enjoy our beautiful countryside across Harborough.

“We are lucky to have such a wonderful network of bridleways, rural paths, trails and rights of way around Market Harborough.

“It is so crucial to stay active.

“The last thing we want is for the Government to start telling our local councils that thousands more homes should be built here.

“We have to protect our precious open spaces – not destroy them.

“Surely we want our children and grandchildren to be able to make the most of our incredible environment – not wreck it for them.”

Nicola Hodgson, one of the Open Spaces Society’s national case officers, said: ‘These devastating proposals put at risk the thousands of small open spaces close to communities, at the very time that people are discovering how much they need them.

“The Government pledged, in its 25-year environment plan, to leave the environment in a better state than it found it to pass on to the next generation.

“The Government’s proposals to destroy our planning system show what an empty promise that was.”

Cllr Phil Knowles, who leads the Liberal Democrats on Harborough council, said: “Open spaces generate so many widespread benefits for people that we have to protect them.

“Decisions that are being made now will have a huge impact for generations to come.

“We are blessed that we live in a brilliant part of England and we should respect that and do our best to look after our countryside.”

He added: “Market Harborough is already creaking under the sheer weight of the massive amount of housebuilding going on here.

“I fear that one day our entire infrastructure will collapse unless we realise now that we have a duty of care to the people who already live here – as well as to the people who are moving in.”