It is laughable to wrap this…

It is laughable to wrap this proposal up as anything other than a development opportunity, driven by a desire to make money. It certainly does not offer a housing crisis solution. In fact, it seems to ignore the research that highlights potential for housing development in space that is already urban. Does this plan consider where housing is needed most, proximity to jobs, the need to build more infrastructure so that people can get to their jobs? It presents the development of new residential space as a one and done solution, with no trickle down effects. This seems dishonest. Provide the full picture and let people decide with all the information at their hands.

Equally it feels dishonest to suggest that trading in some protected land for others would negate any negative environmental impacts of green belt development. All land is not equal. Trading out some land for other land elsewhere will have an impact of the well-being of plant and animal life in the area. It will impact ecosystem function and health. What is the real environmental impact? How will that impact residents, environmental health and even economic health in the future? A short term gain, for a long-term detriment is not worth it.

Why have a green belt at all, if we can just choose to develop it when it suits us? If we can develop bits of it now, what’s to stop us from developing it entirely if/when that should become desirable?