Tony Baldry
Main Page: Tony Baldry (Conservative - Banbury)
Sir Tony Baldry (Banbury) (Con)
I was waiting for a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Wellingborough (Mr Bone)—
Mr Speaker
I normally think the hon. Gentleman is waiting behind the curve but he is ahead of the curve and we are grateful to him for that. After 30 years in the House his enthusiasm is undiminished.
Nick Boles
I would be happy to meet the hon. Gentleman, who is Chair of the Select Committee on Communities and Local Government and very knowledgeable on the subject. There is no point putting into a plan sites that have no chance of being developed. A balance needs to be struck on whether they are potentially viable.
Sir Tony Baldry (Banbury) (Con)
In north Oxfordshire, we want to build new houses on former Ministry of Defence brownfield land; we want new social housing, new self-build housing and new housing; and we want a new garden city in Bicester. Will Ministers assist us in our endeavours?
Nick Boles
That is exactly the kind of local leadership that we are looking for, and that we believe will produce more housing development that is more acceptable to local people, unlike the failed top-down approach of the previous Government.