Sponsored by
Home targets matter, but people do not
EDITOR – Take a look at this list: The Regional Assembly, The East Midlands Development Association, The Housing Corporation, HomeBuy, The First Time Buyers Initiative, The Shared Equity Task Force, The Regional Housing Pot, Community Council, Regional Housing Enabler, Rural Housing Enabler, The County Council and The District Council.
Do you recognise any of them? They are just some of the governmental bureaucracies and quangos handling public funds and EU money for grant funding projects such as regeneration and affordable housing before it reaches the public. In North Kelsey's affordable housing case there is just enough money left to buy a cheap plot of land and build 12 tiny houses.
Of course the developers first have to find a cheap plot – and North Kelsey has one. It is the old sewage farm! Of course there is still residual sewage and pipework under the surface. But that doesn't matter! Nor does the fact the surface of the site floods in rainy periods – or the fact the entrance is on to an accident black spot.
It's cheap and the villagers' quality of life doesn't really matter, does it, so long as a housing target is achieved. Government policies allow the planners to allow the developers to break all the rules and build in green belt if the village is a 'Primary Rural Settlement' and has a proven need for social housing.
The Government says to be a primary village, there has to be lots of facilities, employment opportunities and public transport links. That hardly describes North Kelsey, but West Lindsey District Council says it does. So it must do.
In North Kelsey, public transport is virtually non-existent, a doctor attends for a short period once a month, the post office has closed, the village shop is degenerating and the primary school is struggling for numbers. Two of the three public houses and the tennis club have closed.
The Government also says that there has to be a need for housing of all types. An amazingly inaccurate Housing Enabler's survey says there are 12 people in need with another 13 people on West Lindsey's ACIS housing list – and they all need rented accommodation. That's 25 people.
We only know four at the most and they don't want to stay in the village!
But we villagers can't do anything about it except complain. And the only route for complaint is back up the chain to one or more of the groups whose pay cheques depend on imposing the development on us or achieving a target – or both!
Last week I sent a report to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and asked for advice in finding out how we can get a fair and just outcome to the settlement of differences. Our MP, Edward Leigh, wrote a support letter asking the Secretary of State to give due consideration to North Kelsey's request. No doubt we shall see, but don't hold your breath!
Ian Watson-Smith
North Kelsey
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Market Rasen
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
