‘Hypocrite’ councillor, 52, is slammed for opposing construction of 1,000 new homes despite owning acre of land and THREE properties worth more than £1million
- Cllr Mike Baldock has repeatedly spoken out against development plans in Kent
- Opposition ‘sticks in the throat’, neighbours say, given his own property portfolio
- The cllr says his homes enable people who can’t afford to buy to live somewhere
- He insists he is not against new housing but wants more affordable properties
A councillor has been accused of ‘Nimbyism and hypocrisy’ for opposing plans for more than 1,000 new home homes – including 675 in his own street – despite owning an acre of land and three properties himself.
Mike Baldock was slammed for speaking against the new development in Kent given he boasts a portfolio worth more than £1 million.
The 52-year-old owns two houses next door to each other in the street in Borden, where the 675 homes were earmarked.
One was bought for £235,000 six years ago but is now estimated to be worth £313,000.
The other two-bed was put into his name 24 years ago and is valued at about £419,000.
Mike Baldock was slammed for speaking against the new development in Kent given he boasts a portfolio worth more than £1 million
Cllr Baldock also bought another three-bed property less than two miles away in Sittingbourne for £148,000 ten years ago.
It is now worth £225,000, according to Zoopla.
He also owns an acre of land bought last July for £70,000.
One neighbour fumed: ‘Whether you’re for new housing or against, it sticks in the throat.
‘This bloke owns three houses and seems to have bought a large patch of land. God knows what for.
‘It stinks of Nimbyism and hypocrisy.’
A Nimby (Not In My Back Yard) is a person who objects to something it feels is unpleasant in their own neighbourhood, while often raising no such objections to similar developments elsewhere.
Church of St Peter and St Paul in Borden, Kent, where Cllr Baldock has opposed development
Cllr Baldock – Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning for Swale Borough Council – was against the building of 700 homes in Minster too.
He was also against the construction of new roads to the Isle of Sheppey which could have led to the building of nearly 8,000 new homes.
Cllr Baldock opposed regeneration in Sittingbourne town centre which included 215 homes as well.
He has set up Borden Residents Against Development, to oppose the construction of houses where he lives.
The Government has set a target of 300,000 new homes to be built per year by 2025.
Many of these are designed to help those on low salaries and struggling to get on the property ladder.
Asked why he owns three homes, Cllr Baldock said: ‘I have three properties, like many people I have more than one house.
‘I’m not living in all three, there are people in them.
Cllr Baldock insists he is not against new housing but is calling for more affordable properties
‘I am enabling people who wouldn’t be able to afford to buy a house to live somewhere.’
He insisted he wasn’t stopping people getting on the property ladder and added: ‘I’m not stopping people from buying a home.
‘There are loads of housing for sale. Its not like there is a shortage.
‘I’m not blocking anybody.’
Regarding opposing the housing in his street he said: ‘I have opposed this from the beginning as it is an inappropriate development that causes major traffic issues.
‘I think it was in the wrong location.’
Cllr Baldock added the Minster and Sittingbourne plans didn’t include enough affordable housing.
He added the nearly 8,000 homes on the Isle of Sheppey would have been better spread across Kent.
Cllr Baldock insisted he is not against new housing adding: ‘We are trying to get a local plan that will deliver affordable housing.
‘Far from saying we are not supporting affordable housing, we are actually trying to increase the amount of affordable housing.’