Press Release

8 November 2007

Paice Challenges Minister Over Mereham Inquiry

South East Cambridgeshire MP Jim Paice has today challenged Hazel Blears, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, about the current planning inquiry into the proposed new town of Mereham, near Ely.

Mr Paice said: “I challenged Hazel Blears as to whether she would consider the outcome of the Mereham Inquiry against the views of the local councils and against the decision only a few years ago to put a new town at Northstowe – only a few miles from the Mereham site; or whether she would allow her desire for three million new homes to override local democracy. Unfortunately her reply was simply that it would be judged with probity and integrity – I would hope so!”

Jim explained: “I am very concerned at the reported remarks of the inspector at the outset of the inquiry when he allegedly said he would have to bear in mind the Government’s demand for new houses.

“If this appeal goes through there is nothing to stop all the other sites which were rejected a few years ago after an examination in public from trying again. What vestige of local decision making left in planning would then be gone forever.”