Press Release from the Green Group, Norfolk County Council



Greens challenge plans for a fried and polluting Norwich economy



Green County councillors are to raise urgent concerns at Monday's cabinet meeting that the Norfolk County Council are planning to make Norwich a new "superheated" economic growth point. The public were consulted, earlier this year, on the EERA Regional Spatial Strategy, or 20 year plan. Now the council are introducing additional plans for a 29% increase in new jobs across Norfolk, over the original EERA plan - 35,000 of them in Norwich, making Norwich a "mega-city" to compete with Cambridge.



The Greens are very concerned that superheating the Norwich economy will change, for ever, a large part of central Norfolk. The plans, they argue, are environmentally unsustainable, meet the demands of business rather than the needs of local people, and are being pushed through, undemocratically and unaccountably, without necessary public consultation.



The Councillors will ask the Cabinet:

Why are such significant changes to County planning being discussed without public consultation?
Will the cabinet, not take any action, without ensuring a fully democratic and accountable process, including a public consultation?
How the plans are consistent with intentions by the County to reduce Norfolk carbon emissions?


Green Councillor Chris Hull says "Norfolk people are familiar with the region's environmental and natural beauty, relaxed pace, quality of life, and local character, whilst others of us have come here to enjoy these lifestyle benefits - these plans will destroy this. Whilst some growth is inevitable, it should be at a natural pace, not rapid and forced. London, the South East region, and Cambridge are already overheated areas, literally frying - now the Cabinet want to compete with these areas and fry the Norwich sub-region too. Fast-life stress, and a London/SE pace, will become ever more common place in Norfolk. People voted for us because they don't want to live this way - I am extremely concerned that these plans have been made without asking the local communities."



Green Councillor Andrew Boswell says "These plans are based on rapid large-scale private construction which will spread concrete and tarmac over ever greater areas of our beautiful county. There will be an enormous strain on local services, the environment and infrastructure, which will fuel a housing crisis amongst the poorest in our community - the plans don't offer enough low cost housing to keep pace with such massive growth. Further the plans are, no way, sustainable - Norfolk carbon emissions will soar as public transport can not be developed to keep up with such a fast growth. This plan by the County is an unacceptable renunciation of responsibility by the Council - local authority planners and developers must take responsibility for carbon reduction, as much as governments, industry and individuals."







Notes:

The Norfolk Employment Growth Study promotes the idea of large increases to current plans in growth and jobs in the Norwich area. See:

Norfolk Employment Growth Study: Supplementary Representations on the Draft East of England Plan

 http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/committee_report/plantran130705item9pdf.pdf



The questions will be asked at the member question section of the Norfolk County Council cabinet meeting, 1030 am, Monday 25th July 2005, Edward's Road, County Hall, Norwich.



Contacts:

County Councillor Andrew Boswell, Norwich Green Party Spokesperson for Environment and Climate Change. E:  a_boswell_2004@yahoo.co.uk T: 01603-613798 / 01603-592349



County Councillor Chris Hull, Norwich Green Party Spokesperson on Education and Children's Services, E:  chrishull@clara.co.uk T: 01603-664928