Torbay Today News

TORY'S BYPASSHOMES BID ROW
A parliamentary candidate has come under fire for suggesting Torbay's overspill housing could be built around the proposed Kingskerswell bypass.

Marcus Wood, the Tory hopeful for Torbay, posted comments on his internet blog over ways to solve the Bay's housing shortage."To me the answer is obvious," he wrote.

"The Kingskerswell bypass, if given the go-ahead, will throw up parcels of unviable agricultural land all around it, which could easily provide the escape valve for pressure for building land, in addition to the brownfield sites we already know about.

"This is the right place for new space to develop; not the unspoiled countryside we need to protect."

Ken Pegden, chairman of the Kingskerswell Alliance which opposes the £108 million new road, declared Mr Wood had done them a favour "by alerting residents to the threat this hugely expensive scheme poses".

He maintained the alliance had been aware since 2002 that the bypass was driven by the clamour to access development land.

"Mr Wood talks about the need to protect unspoilt countryside, yet seems quite happy to promote a scheme that is hugely damaging to the environment.

"If the bypass were built, it would destroy four listed county wildlife sites, have a serious adverse impact on two scheduled ancient monuments, come within 50 metres of a conservation area, would drive out European protected species of bats, and ignore RSPB concerns over the destruction of cirl bunting breeding grounds.

"He is, therefore, either ill informed or guilty of hypocrisy."

Mr Wood stood by his comments.

"Houses have got to be built somewhere, and eventually we are going to run out of brownfield sites. There are bound to be slivers of wasted land around the bypass which would be ideal for housing."