Rendel Welcomes Chance to Save Green Fields

11.45.38am GMT Wed 27th Jan 2010

"If the Tories really want to cut out greenfield development from the plans for West Berkshire, we have shown how that can be done," said Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson, David Rendel.

Mr Rendel was speaking after the debate on the Local Development Framework, when the majority Conservative group accepted a Liberal Democrat amendment to their proposals. The amendment paved the way for saving the greenfield Sandleford site from any housing development, and minimizing (and perhaps avoiding altogether) any greenfield development on the Racecourse site.

"A large number of houses could be built on brownfield sites which have already been identified as suitable for housing development. Others could be built as part of the mixed development of industrial sites such as the Faraday Road estate.

"I believe that proper investigation of these alternatives will show that there is no need for building on the proposed Sandleford site. The number of houses needing to be built on the Racecourse site could also be drastically reduced - perhaps even to zero."