Helen Goodman

In an adjournment debate yesterday in the House of Commons, Helen led calls for the Secretary of State for Local Government (Ruth Kelly) to reconsider draft proposals for the North East Regional Spatial Strategy.

You can read Helen’s full speech here

Helen was supported in the chamber by a number of MPs from across the North East and emphasised that “on this matter, County Durham speaks with one voice. All the local authorities, county and district, and all the county’s back-bench MPs are united in our concern about the plan”.

Helen said:

“Our argument is clear: the regional spatial strategy underestimated the potential for new investment, economic growth and jobs. In doing so, it put a clamp on our excellent, existing employment sites. Consequently, housing allocations are too low and the transport plans inadequate. By concentrating development in the city regions, it does nothing to cut travel-to-work distances, promote sustainability or counter climate change”.

Helen stressed the potential for County Durham to develop a dynamic knowledge-based economy and called on the Secretary of State to reconsider proposed limitations on the development of ‘priority employment sites’ and much-needed improvements to the region’s transport infrastructure.

Helen said:

“A high level of sustainable development is clearly possible in the north-east…[and] I very much hope that the Government will not endorse this plan for failure and will look again, so that we can fulfil our potential”.

Filed under: Uncategorized on June 15th, 2007