Policy will have opposite effect (From Western Telegraph)

Policy will have opposite effect

Dear Editor. - The Local Needs Housing Policy proposal will have the opposite effect that the National Park is trying to achieve.

Firstly, no developer will buy land to build a new property that he will not be able to offer to the open market. Secondly, with fewer new houses being built, existing house prices will increase. In fact property has already increased considerably since the Park put these proposals in place. Previously, where land outside the National Park was considered to be cheaper, this is now not the case, as land has, in some cases, doubled in value. It is therefore making it more difficult for local people to buy land to build new homes.

We all appreciate what the Park is attempting to achieve and agree that new housing should be made available to locals. But this policy is not the way forward. The Park cannot and should not try to control the free market of supply and demand.

The way the Park should protect the needs of local people is by granting planning consent on green field sites, which would enable local builders to construct blocks of flats or housing estates to sell to local residents. The granting of more building land would assist local peoples needs. The Park will be sending out ballot papers for you to vote for or against their proposals. I would urge you to vote against this Big Brother type of planning control.

P. J. BOOTH Booths Enterprise Bonvilles Court, Saundersfoot.