Parliamentary candidates agree to take part in Sefton Central hustings event in Formby.....

All five of Sefton Central’s prospective parliamentary candidates have agreed to take part in a hustings debate. Debate at Formby Sports and Social Club will concentrate on environmental issues.

Organised by the Lancashire Branch and Sefton District Group of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), the event will take place on Thursday, March 19 at 8.30pm at the Formby Sports and Social Club on Whitehouse Lane, Formby.

It is one of a series of events across the country being held by CPRE in the run-up to the General Election.

Entitled ‘Green Belt or Concrete’, the debate will concentrate on the threat to Sefton’s green belt if the proposals in the new Local Plan are fully adopted.

Candidates looking for a mandate from the people of Sefton will be posed a number of key questions including:

• How can we best protect our Green Belt and still satisfy the need for housing?

• How do we bring about the restoration of brownfield land (land which has been previously developed) in preference to building on greenfield land?

• How do we ensure that residential development provides the good standard homes people need, including affordable homes, in the places where they are most needed?

• How can we ensure that environmental and social considerations are not outweighed by economic considerations?

According to Nick Thompson, chair of the CPRE Lancashire Branch and a Sefton resident, the hustings will provide a unique opportunity to put the borough’s green space on the candidates’ agenda.

He said: “We know how significant this debate is currently to so many who love their green open spaces.

“It is a huge dilemma - we are fully aware of the national shortage of affordable homes and social housing, but we have fought for years for the protection of green spaces and particularly the green belt.

“As the general election looms we want to hear what all our candidates have to say and what they will do if they are elected.”

For more information and/or to register for this event see www.cprelancashire.org.uk

Story and Photo Source: Southport Visitor