“If I’m elected – day one – I will halt all building,” Middlesborough Local Plan Delayed After Independent Mayor Elected

Andy Preston was elected as Mayor of Middlesborough this year on a platform to stop house-building on Greenfield sites.

The officers report to a recent full council meeting was accomodating:

Since the Publication Draft was approved by Council, there have been a number of changes that warrant a fresh look at the emerging Local Plan. These can be summarised as:
=a change in priorities as a consequence of the recent local elections, such as an increased emphasis on urban living;
-additional information becoming available to enable the underpinning
evidence base to be updated; and,
– revisions to the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
and the methodology used to calculate required housing numbers.
Taking the decision to revisit the Local Plan would enable the Council to update the evidence on which it is based, and re-engage the community more thoroughly in the process. Whilst this is not a case of taking the Local Plan back to the beginning of the process, or completely changing the scope of the review, it would provide an opportunity to produce a Local Plan that places more emphasis upon:
 the role of urban living;
 improving access to open space and green areas, protecting those areas which are important to the well being of communities and the creation of new areas;
 improving healthy outcomes, ensuring that all people have the opportunity to
enjoy healthy lifestyles;
 improving access to education; and,
 improving access to jobs.