The County Councils Network (CCN) have published a statement warning the government that planning reforms may risk ‘excessive’ targets putting pressure on local services
The CCN have issued a warning for the government as it considers implementing planning reforms.
The warning goes for planning reforms causing a ‘developer free for all.’
CNN warning of too much freedom for developers
The warning comes as a response to the government’s proposal to introduce mandatory housing targets as a part of the National Planning Policy Framework.
While the vast majority of county and unitary councils do support the new housing targets, fears arise that the targets are too ‘excessive’, as local authorities are set to see housing targets rise by 56% per year.
Further analysis indicates that county and rural areas will see more of a rise than cities, and that the housing targets would see pressure put on their local infrastructure, including schools, roads, and services.
Housing targets may be too much
Cllr Richard Clewer, housing and planning spokesperson for the County Councils Network, said:
“The County Councils Network’s survey is clear: councils in rural and county areas are not anti-housing and the vast majority support the principle of nationally set targets. But these targets are excessive and we are looking at having to build an extra 65,000 homes a year, without any commitment to the essential road networks, school places, and GP surgeries that will be required.
“We don’t have enough infrastructure to cope now, let alone after building quarter of a million extra homes over the course of this Parliament. We also must remember much of this development in county areas will be in the places with limited or no public transport, compared to the benefits of building in or around cities where there is already good infrastructure.
“Worse still, the government’s proposal to introduce a Five Year Land Supply drives a bulldozer through locally-agreed housing decisions in our Local Plans and empowers developers. If implemented alongside these dramatic new housing targets, we will see a developer free for all in many county and rural areas, weakening democracy and leading to development in unsuitable locations, regardless of local views.”
