West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has today raised Martley’s efforts to create a long-term neighourhood plan for the village in the House of Commons. And the MP has called on Planning Minister Nick Boles to offer reassurance to villagers who fear their own housing plans will be have less weight that the South Worcestershire Development Plan. The Martley plan creates a framework for agreed housing development over the coming years and the village is one of the first in the county to develop a strategy for growth. The plan has identified areas for housing development to replace those suggested by developers. Harriett raised concerns in the House of Commons on behalf of villagers that developers could get the green light to develop several sites rather than the plots preferred by local villagers. Planning Minister Nick Boles offered to look into the issue and told Harriett in the House of Commons: “It is important that Neighbourhood Plans strengthen the power of local communities to determine where development should happen and where it shouldn’t happen. “If that Neighbourhood Plan is in general conformity with the local plan then the Neighbourhood Plan’s polices will take priority and will help protect her residents and her constituents from unwanted development on speculative sites.” FULL TEXT: Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con): Villagers in Martley in my constituency are keen to develop their own neighbourhood plan, but the district council has told them that their alternative to a greenfield site might mean that both sites end up being developed. Will the Minister please clarify the situation for my constituents? Nick Boles: It is obviously difficult for me to talk about an individual case, but I would be happy to hear more about it from my hon. Friend. It is important that neighbourhood plans strengthen the powers of local communities to determine where development should and should not happen. If the neighbourhood plan is in general conformity with the local plan, the neighbourhood plan’s policies will take priority and will help protect her constituents from unwanted development on speculative sites. | Hansard