Shailesh Vara MP has written to Sajid Javid MP, Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), asking him not to shortlist land at Sibson Aerodrome for a new Garden Village.
As part of its drive to expand house building in the UK, the Government asked for expressions of interest for new Garden Villages, Towns and Cities with enough land for between 1500-10,000 homes. More than 40 expressions of interest were submitted as part of the scheme in July 2016 and the Government is expected to shortlist around 12 sites with a view to taking these forward.
DCLG has produced specific guidance on garden villages and one of the criteria is that the project must be local authority-led. In his letter to Mr Javid, Mr Vara makes clear that whilst Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) submitted the Sibson Garden Village expression of interest on behalf of Larkfleet Homes, it is not giving the site its wholehearted support as is required by DCLG’s own guidance.
Mr Vara also points out that DCLG’s criteria of garden villages being ‘where communities want them’ is not met as he has received many objections including from parish councils in the immediate vicinity.
Given that Peterborough City Council (PCC) is on the doorstep of the proposed development, Mr Vara has also brought to the attention of the Secretary of State the strong opposition from PCC.
A copy of Mr Vara’s letter to Mr Javid, together with enclosures referred to in the letter, is attached.