LibDem leadership hopefuls back Lorely's Law

1.52.33pm GMT Tue 21st Feb 2006

Lib Dem Leadership Candidates Chris Huhne, Ming Campbell and Simon Hughes backing Lorely's Bill

Liberal Democrat Leadership candidates, Chris Huhne, Sir Menzies Campbell and Simon Hughes pledged their support for Solihull MP, Lorely Burt's Bill to protect parkland and combat windfall development when they visited the region on Saturday.

Lorely's Bill was published on Thursday 16th February and is listed for its second reading in the House of Commons on 3rd March.

Mrs Burt has fulfilled an election pledge to introduce the Bill following Solihull residents' anger over Council's plans to sell off parkland. The Local Government and Planning (Parkland and Windfall Development) Bill is also designed to prevent back garden development from changing the traditional character of many residential areas in the borough.

Mrs Burt said:

"I am proud and delighted to have fulfilled a major pledge to residents in Solihull since my election last May. I have been able to propose changes to planning law that will return decision making powers on the development of back gardens and parkland to local people.

"We have already lost parkland to development in Solihull against the wishes of most residents but under my proposed law, backed by LibDem MPs, local parkland may not be sold off for development unless a majority vote in a local referendum approves the sale.

"The Bill would also re-designate gardens of houses as greenfield rather than brownfield sites, and applications for significant developments in such locations would normally be refused.

"Local Authorities could also decline to determine further applications for up to three years where similar applications have been refused.

'Lorely's Law' was recognised as a major step towards the protection of heritage gardens and parkland nationally when Mrs Burt was short-listed for the ePolitix Charity Champions Culture and Heritage award earlier this year.