Keith Falconbridge's campaign for the people of Codnor and Waingroves

Local campaigner Keith Falconbridge is calling on residents of Codnor and Waingroves to give Amber Valley's housing plans the thumbs down.

Keith feels so strongly that he is standing, as a Lib Dem, in the local council by election in the area next week. '600 homes behind Alfreton Road and Woodlinkin, 360 at Coppice Farm, 560 at Nottingham Road and then more infilling in Waingroves… it's just too much' he said.

'There is a need for some more housing, but what is proposed is a planners' fantasy - it fills most of the land between Ripley , Codnor and Waingroves, and once it's allocated in the Core Strategy it will be almost impossible to limit the housing number or density. Give people the A610 link road by all means - they have waited long enough, but not by forcing them to have thousands of new homes as the price'.

'These homes will be big, three or four bedroomed, not affordable for many people - and with no green breaks and few recreational facilities. Existing schools and services will struggle to cope. The houses will just create commuter dormitories for people working in Nottingham or Derby'.

Keith is urging people in the area to do two positive things - swamp the Council with protests on their Core Strategy which outlines the area for development. Consultation is on until August 23 and people should get in touch at

Community Planning Team, Amber Valley Borough Council, Ripley Town Hall, DE5 3BT

They can see the document and comment on it at http://www.ambervalley.gov.uk/draftcorestrategy

And they can back him as the new Councillor for the area in the election on 1 August