A letter sent by a Government Minister in the Housing Department has today confirmed that the wishes of local people will be disregarded if Councils do not hit ‘impossible’ housing targets.
Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government, was writing in response to a joint letter penned by Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Paul Holmes MP, and the Rt Hon Suella Braverman MP which urged the Government to rethink its targets for Fareham Borough Council and Gosport Borough Council.
The original letter drew attention to the fivefold increase in housing target in the area, specifically the stipulation that collectively the two Local Authorities would have to deliver 1,242 houses annually. Currently Fareham and Gosport Borough Councils are delivering 211 houses annually.
The previous Conservative Government gave greater weight to local voices in planning decisions. However, in her letter, Baroness Taylor said that ‘I also note that you all feel that if these targets are missed then it may permit unplanned and speculative development. Where housing delivery lags behind local need, it is right that developers can bring new homes forward outside the plan.’
An article from October stated that Gosport has “no idea where to build ‘extra’ new homes for government housebuilding targets”, prompting fears that the likely failure to hit inflated housing targets will result in a housebuilding free-for-all in an area which is already ‘over 80% built on’.
Caroline said:
‘This letter suggests that the Government intends to press on with its plans to eradicate the local Strategic Gap with unfettered development.
‘I have deep concerns over what this means for the Gosport constituency in terms of quality of life. Recent analysis found that Gosport is already the least green town in the UK. More development will lead to worsening air quality and serious strain on local services. I cannot believe that this Government, armed with the well-circulated information that Gosport struggles to find appropriate locations for development, will give developers free reign in the area.’
ENDS
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