Lib Dems welcome plans to stop houses being turned into flats.

9.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 18th May 2008

Liberal Democrats have long voiced their concerns about the number of houses being turned into flats.There is a danger that we could end up with no family homes in the area. After years of campaigning the Council has issued new guidelines, which will enable councillors to turn down applications for further flat conversions. Forest Ward is one of 8 restricted wards where no conversions will be allowed.

Lib Dem Councillor, Forest Focus team member and prospective parliamentary candidate Farooq Qureshi, who is Chair of the Planning Committee, said "We have been campaigning for years to be able to turn down these conversions. The guidelines will enable us to support local people's views and help us retain family houses".