All developments must protect Rhuthun

Letter in The Denbigh Free Press 21/03/2012

Dear Sir,

Your article of the seventh of March 'Resident opinions plea on LDP' scheme highlights the decision of The Welsh Government's Planning Inspectorate to try amend the Local Development Plan (LDP) of Denbighshire County Council. After extensive public consultation the County Council published its LDP with the conclusion that 7,500 new houses would meet Denbighshire's housing needs.

However the inspectorate has intervened to say that the provision must be for 8,400. This is based on flawed and outdated population projections from 2008 and does not factor in local housing needs. We believe that using uniform population projections from several years ago is an inadequate way to measure local need and is an example of top down planning at its worst. Arbitrary decisions such as the inspectorate's have the potential to lead to the over development of our communities.

Our communities have been presented with a ridiculous situation where our bureaucrats are using outdated and paternalistic methods to force decisions upon our elected representatives that threatens the fabric of our communities. Sadly the high handed treatment by the Government's Planning Inspectorate of locally elected representatives is being repeated across the north of Wales. The accumulative effect will be a huge increase in the number of new housing units priced well beyond the means of local people to purchase.

Any development in Rhuthun in the future must have tangible benefits for the community and ensure that there is adequate provision for affordable housing in the town. Over development will adversely effect any community.

As Plaid Cymru candidates we believe that planning decisions must be driven by local needs in order to satisfy local demand and protect our communities. It is our belief that the council should undertake to support housing development based on local need that is affordable and accessible to the local community. If elected we will oppose any development that does not protect local communities.

Yours faithfully,

Shane Brennan

Hywel Richards

Peter Ryder

Plaid Cymru candidates for Rhuthun ward in the 2012 Denbighshire County Council