Nusrat Ghani, MP for Wealden, has joined Wealden District Council in welcoming proposed government reforms to housing targets and the planning system, following her long, concentrated campaign with the Council to address the high number of homes Wealden was obliged to provide under government guidelines.
On Tuesday 6 December the Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities Michael Gove announced that he was looking to adjust housing targets and remove the five-year housing land supply requirements. The plans would also see local councils given greater powers to deter unjustified, speculative applications during the production of its Local Plan.
Under the proposals, housing targets set for local authorities will remain but will be a starting point instead with new flexibilities to reflect local circumstances such as national parks, heritage restrictions, and areas of high flood risk; local planning authorities will be able to tackle slow build out by developers; and there could be new financial penalties for companies failing to deliver housing despite having planning approval and give councils power to refuse further permissions across their areas.
The government consultation on the proposed changes is due to be published before the end of the year.
Nusrat has been continuously supporting Wealden District Council over the past seven years in making representations to the Government to reduce its nationally set housing targets.
Nusrat Ghani said: “From my surgeries, meetings and casework, I know the feelings of local residents on current housing targets for Wealden. I am delighted that following many meetings over the last seven years with numerous Ministers at the Department of Housing, Wealden District Council leaders, local parish councils and Wealden residents regarding the housing targets for Wealden, the Housing Secretary has committed to building the right homes in the right places and put local people at the heart of decision-making.
These new measures strengthen the government’s commitment to building enough of the right homes in the right places with the right infrastructure, ensuring the environment is protected and giving local people a greater say on where and where not to place new development. I am pleased that Wealden can plan for homes that are fit for the area and I encourage Wealden District Council to engage fully with the consultation.”
Wealden District Council leader and portfolio holder for Planning, Councillor Ann Newton said, “The Local Plan is an important document and we want to progress it as quickly as possible to provide certainty to our communities, partners and developers on the future planning strategy for the district. However, following our successful lobbying efforts we will be working over the coming months to build these changes into our Draft Local Plan, with the central aim of protecting the natural beauty and character of our district and meeting our climate change commitments”.
