Mayor lacks vision for Lewisham
January 27, 2009 5:34 PM
Cllr Peake called for local shops rather than large retails centres
Lewisham's directly elected Mayor has failed to provide any vision in the planning policy that sets out how Lewisham should look in 2025 according to the Liberal Democrats on Lewisham Council.
The Mayor has to consult on a Local Development Framework and Core Strategic Vision. But Liberal Democrats have condemned the document as looking backwards and not being strategic. Planning spokesperson Cllr Philip Peake, told a meeting of Lewisham Council that "there's no vision. It's not in the least strategic."
Group leader Cllr Chris Maines said, "The need to be environmentally sustainable should run throughout this plan but it is hardly mentioned.
"We think there should be three core elements to this plan: sustainability, involving local people, and reflecting and developing Lewisham's local character and sense of place," Cllr Maines told the Council.
Cllr Peake also criticised the Mayor for having an outdated overreliance on retail. "Just as the world is changing, we are told there needs to be an increase in large retail centres. We should be looking at local shops to meet local needs."
The Government requires Councils to set out the vision and policies for the built environment over the next fifteen years in the Local Development Framework. The document is put out for public comment and consultation. In response, the Labour Mayor of Lewisham said the discussion on the document was "no place to discuss my vision for the future of the borough".
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