GREEN Belt campaigners in Coventry are pleased that the government’s statistics watchdog has launched a swift review into the Office for National Statistics population projections for the city.
The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR), which is the regulatory arm of the UK Statistics Authority watchdog, will lead the investigation.
It comes after a letter was sent to the watchdog last month by Sir Andrew Watson, Chair of CPRE Warwickshire, the countryside charity, expressing the concerns of local environmental campaigners, five regional MPs and West Midlands Mayor Andy Street about the increasing number of planning applications on former green belt land.
In response Ed Humpherson, Director General Regulation, has written: “We note that you have concerns around housing allocations resulting in the unnecessary loss of countryside within and around Coventry, which are based on decisions that you feel are mis-informed due to perceived inaccuracies of the population estimates on which the household projections and subsequent housing need are based.
“In light of the matters raised within your letter we have decided to undertake a review of the population projections and population estimates produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and how they are used.”
He said the Authority aimed to share an update with their progress in early 2021 and was interested in setting up a meeting with Sir Watson and colleagues.
Merle Gerling, Chair of Keep Our Green Belt Green, said: “There is very straightforward evidence that there needs to be an investigation and we have been promised a swift result in the New Year. There is no need to build on green belt land. The council should not be authorising any planning applications on former green belt land until findings are published. These include Keresley, Eastern Green, King’s Hill, Coundon Wedge, Cromwell Lane, Westwood Heath and the site next to Coventry Sphinx Sports and Social Club.”
Two petitions by green belt protestors with 7,000 signatures were submitted to Coventry City Council calling for an immediate review of the current Local Plan before March 31 2021.
Councillors were recommended by Andrew Walster, Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services, that “a slight increase in growth” as reported in the most recent ONS population projections was not considered significant enough to trigger a review. The recommendation was approved at a Cabinet meeting yesterday (Tuesday December 8).
