Mark Todd

Mark has signed a petition opposing plans for a 5,700-home eco-town in the National Forest.

Proposals for the Grovewood development, near Drakelow, were unveiled last year. Banks Developments is behind the plans for the 865-site, where all the homes would be built using low-carbon and zero carbon technologies. Energy would be created through renewable sources such as wind turbines.

Opposition for the development has come from villagers in Rosliston, Drakelow, Cauldwell, Linton, Castle Gresley and Walton. 

Mark has also opposed the plans and joined Grovewood Opposition Group at Rosliston Forestry Centre today (January 14)  at an event to give residents the chance to sign a petition which will be handed into Downing Street by the group on Thursday (January 17).

Mark, who believes that the site is unsuitable for such as development, will join the protestors in London. He has already signed the petition set up on the Downing Street website. The group's document outlining the reasons for opposition will also be handed in to Number 10.

He said  "There has been no provision for housing on this site in any Local Plan," he said. "It is a particularly curious definition of sustainability which seeks to justify such as development on the grounds that it will provide the basis for a new major road. The ideas presented should be applied to sites already set aside for development in our area."

Mark will also hand-deliver a copy of the document to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears, this week.

You can access the Downing Street petition via the group's website www.notogrovewood.org