LEDBURY'S new Green MP has vowed to make sure the right infrastructure is in place in the town to ensure future housing doesn't further strain services.

Dr Ellie Chowns, who was elected as North Herefordshire's new MP last week, said she would push for adequate section 106 cash to be handed over for any new development in and around Ledbury to ensure the needed infrastructure is in place. 

This follows a public consultation on a proposed 450-home estate on land south of Ledbury, between the A449 Leadon Way and A417 Ledbury Road, where residents argued adding more homes would add to the existing strains on the town's infrastructure. 

This mooted 450-home development is in addition to the more than 1,200 homes that are being built in Ledbury. 

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During a consultation meeting on the mooted development in May, residents called for more schools and health facilities and expressed concerns about the lack of affordable houses for locals and the loss of best-grade agricultural land. 

Dr Chowns told the Reporter: "We have had situations in the past when doctors' surgeries have been built, people have started to move into homes but the NHS hasn't been able to get the surgery open on time partly because section 106 contributions have been inadequate. 

"There have definitely been issues with section 106 contributions in the past and it is vital developers make payments that are sufficient to provide the infrastructure required. 

"In Ledbury, we need this for health, education and transport.

"I will be very carefully scrutinising the new government's proposed changes with green principles at the forefront of my mind."

She added, that while she acknowledged there was a need for more housing, particularly affordable housing, they needed to be the right homes at the right place and right price. 

"We can't say no green land will ever be built on but the devil is in the detail and the greenbelt needs to be preserved as much as possible."

Dr Chowns's other priorities include getting the economy booming again, helping to boost the NHS and making some progress on river restoration and pollution reduction. 

She added, to make this happen, she would be pushing for water protection zones to be introduced and to ensure the environment agency gets the needed funding.