It's Official - Labour continues to ignore Ashford's needs

6.41.41pm GMT Sun 30th Jan 2005

Local campaigner Chris Took with County Councillor George Koowaree

An all party government committee has warned that plans to build more than one million new homes in the South East will result in "Irreversible environmental damage."

The Environmental Audit Committee, which comprises of politicians from across the political spectrum, reported on Sunday that sustainable communities were being promoted without any understanding of what sustainable means.

Commenting on the report, local Liberal Democrat campaigner Chris Took said "this report appears to spell out in black and white the fears first expressed by the Liberal Democrats way back in 1998; when John Prescott first announced his extensive building plans for Ashford and the South East."

The report is critical of the impact that continued development was having on water supplies, it also highlights that the finances for improving the surrounding transport infrastructure was about one twentieth of what it should be.

"For a government that has espoused joined up thinking this is the most disjointed and damaging policy imaginable" added Chris Took.