Bridgen urges refusal on green wedge applications

Local MP Andrew Bridgen has written to North West Leicestershire District Council urging them to consider new Government and turn down plans to build on the green wedge between Coalville and Whitwick.

The MP for North West Leicestershire said: “Building on the green wedge is against the wishes of local communities who have protested loudly against such a move, and we now have a new bill going through Parliament that will give people more power over local planning decisions. I have written to the planning committee to ask them to take that into consideration whenever they are faced with proposals to build on the green wedge.”

The Government’s the Localism Bill to be debated in Parliament this month will sweep away top down regional planning. New neighbourhood plans will give local communities the power over planning permissions.

The MP for North West Leicestershire added: “Applications recently filed to develop various areas of the green wedge represent cynical opportunism to get in before Government legislation is passed. We must resist this blatant attack on local democracy, which elected members of the Council hold a duty to defend.”