MP attacks Prescott for 'homes in back gardens' plans

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has come under attack for plans to build more homes in Poole by concreting over back gardens bigger than 30 metres.

Poole's Conservative MP Robert Syms expressed "shock and astonishment" at the plans to intensify the concreting over of back gardens in Poole.

The Conservative Party said the Government has provided £2 million of taxpayers' money for an investigation by planners and academics into "urban densification" which has called for doubling the current density of developments in suburban neighbourhoods like Poole.

The investigation said there was "considerable potential" for back garden development and recommended that back gardens of more than 30 metres should be sold off for building.

It stated that green belt land should be built over and local opposition ignored, according to the Conservative Party.

Shadow Local Government Minister Robert Syms has warned the latest initiative could leave the Borough of Poole powerless to stop back gardens being ripped up and replaced with blocks of flats.

"Councils are already increasingly powerless to protect against growing sprawl and ugly densification," he said.

"Local Councillors in Poole should be able to stop blocks of flats being dumped on land if they are out of character with the area, however it is clear that John Prescott has back gardens in his sights and is bankrolling garden grabbing studies with taxpayers' cash."

Mr Syms is backing new legislation being promoted by Conservative MP, Greg Clark, seeking to stop back gardens being ed as brownfield land.

"It is estimated that nationwide two-thirds of all brownfield housing development is now taking place on gardens," he said.

Copyright Press Association 2006.