Developers push to build on green land

Today and yesterday the public enquiry heard the appeal of Linden Homes against the refusal of  permission for them to build on land to the north of the market town of Beverley.  The government has set up a presumption in favour of new build, but Beverley, like towns all over the country, is holding out.  Even the Tory-led East Riding Council can see that all this building is not good news, but the Condems are desperate to have 'growth' by any means...and they see the construction industry as the answer. 

They are so wrong.  As a resident and Green Party member I pointed out that flooding will increase if more land is covered in concrete, since drains already under pressure will take additional surges of run-off water,  and that more suburbs do not contribute to a sense of place or to the local economy.  Executive homes are not whats needed ...whats needed is every bit of green land to stay that way as we need to grow food locally in light of climate change and peak resources.

We just have to hope that the investigator can see what is going on: settlements under seige from developers egged on by an amazingly unwise and short-sighted government.

Government-funded Hawkers

Yesterday an 18 year old knocked on our door saying he was on a programme to help him get work.  He wanted to join the navy and wanted to sell us stuff.  It was raining so we asked him in and gave him a cuppa.  He told us his history:  adolescent unit due to fighting in school in Hull;  qualifications in bricklaying etc, but now on some govt scheme for young offenders based in Nottingham.  They are bused all over the place (we live in East Yorkshire).  We said you'd better show us your wares.  We looked in dismay at the contents of his bag.. ironing board covers, 'screen cleaners' and other rubbish.  We didnt want any of it, but to help him we bought 2 veg peelers and a drain cleaner (if you buy 3 items he gets a bonus) - each £9.99 and made in China.  The drain cleaner broke on 1st application......

So the question is:  WHY is the government funding youngsters to  hawk trashy products (the components of which are wrenched from the long-suffering environment) when they could be supporting schemes to train them to do useful green work ?  I wonder if its because that would take a bit of effort?  Is this what we want our taxes to pay for?