Murff
Sutton
Saturday, October 11, 2008 21:40 |
Headline figures
Politicians and numbers are well-known as a very slippery mixture. For example "an extra 70" maybe doesn't sound too bad. "2000" is somewhat more dramatic, but what does it mean ? Looking at the SHELAA map, at a rough guess it is an increase in between 30% and 40% built land (and 40% of the increase would likely be uninsurable due to flooding - maybe that would make them especially "affordable", I don't know).
What are the current sizes, in terms of population or number of households, in the threatened area today ? Assuming a mean family size of 3.5 (1.5 children), what increase in the population is 7000 new residents ? That figure will start looking a good deal nastier than the "extra 70" houses that the subterfuginous parts of the council will likely spin. |
