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The Luton Conservative Association, Conservative parliamentary Candidates: Nigel Huddleston and Jeremy Brier have been against the proposed development in the East of Luton. We have actively campaigned against this development including supporting and joining the protest march in May this year and a similar protest last year. Support against this development has also been given by Peter Lilley MP and many other Conservatives across the area.

We are pleased therefore to hear that at the Executive Committee meeting of Luton Borough Council held on December 7th 2009, the Executive decided to endorse the motion previously approved by the Full Council, to withdraw support for development of 5,500 homes to the east of Luton. The Full Council decision was passed when the Labour group decided to join the Conservative and Lib Dem group, reverse their previous stance, and vote against the plans - and in doing so went against their own party policy.

Nigel Huddleston said:

"I welcome the decision by the Luton Executive Committee to withdraw support for the unpopular East of Luton development, though I am concerned that the committee did not commit to fighting to protect greenbelt around the whole of Luton.

This was Labour government policy being enthusiastically implemented by a Labour Council until they finally woke up and realized how incredibly unpopular it was.

Luton Conservatives have been working with our colleagues over the border in Hertfordshire to fight this unwanted development for years. I am glad the Labour councillors who have been supporting the imposition of this unwanted development have finally changed their minds and have stopped riding roughshod over local opinion.

But it is a bit rich of people to ‘congratulate' them for finally coming to their senses. You don't thank vandals who have wrecked your house for helping clean up the mess - they should never have created the mess in the first place!

This is a significant victory in the fight to save the greenbelt and if (but only if) a Conservative government is elected next year then the residents of East Luton can rest assured their beloved greenbelt will not be concreted over. The Conservatives have promised to scrap the government's ridiculous housing targets and put planning decisions back in the hands of local people. Until then, there is still a threat that the central government inspector can impose building wherever he wants - no matter what the local people or local Council say. That's Labour for you!"

The strength of committment of the Luton Conservative Association can be seen from the following slide show. Also by the address made by Nigel Huddleston during the East of Luton action Group in the Summer. The suggestion that there was wholehearted support for this development by local Conservatives is not borne out by the facts.

Video of speakers: here
(Nigel appears just before the middle.)