East Northants council objects to government plan to double new homes target

The council has put in an official objection to the consultation which is proposing a new formula that could have a major impact on its house build quota
Leader of East Northants council says it is vital to protect the future of the district.Leader of East Northants council says it is vital to protect the future of the district.
Leader of East Northants council says it is vital to protect the future of the district.

East Northamptonshire Council has joined its neighbours in condemning new planning guidelines which could see the number of homes to be built in the area each year almost double.The East Northamptonshire district – which includes Thrapston, Oundle and Rushden – will be the hardest hit in the north of the county if the Government’s new formula is introduced.

Based on a calculation between house prices and affordability, it is estimated by planning consultants Lichfield that the number of homes built every twelve months in East Northants would have to increase from 420 each year to 821.

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The plan is part of a controversial proposed swathe of changes that would see a radical shake-up of the current planning system, which councils across the country are objecting to because they fear it will reduce local decision making and give automatic planning permission to some developments.

At a recent planning policy committee meeting the council decided to object to most of the suggestions made in the Conservative government’s consultation, which was published in August and ends tomorrow (October 1). Kettering and Wellingborough have also formally objected.Cllr David Brackenbury, chairman of the planning policy committee, said: “This was a difficult decision for councillors to make, but a necessary and correct one given the topics being discussed in this report. The committee had concerns about the long term impact that these changes would have on East Northamptonshire and the added pressure on the district.

“For example, if the new standard method for assessing housing was implemented as proposed, it would lead to a near doubling of ENC’s housing requirements from 420 dwellings per year to 821 dwellings per year.

“There is a general agreement by councillors that the focus on housing delivery should be directed towards the housebuilders, rather than local authorities.”

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Cllr Steven North, leader of East Northamptonshire Council, added: “With East Northamptonshire Council ceasing to exist at the end of March 2021, it is vital that we do everything we can to protect the district for years to come.

“As a council, we have a duty to ensure development across the district is suitable for its surroundings and this is why the planning policy committee has voted to formally object to most of the areas being discussed in this consultation by central government.”

Across North Northants the new homes build requirement would increase from 1,750 to 3,008 if the new formula was adopted by the Government.

The area’s joint planning unit – which acts on behalf of the four local authorities in North Northamptonshire – has said delivering that number of new houses each year is ‘inconceivable’. The most homes built in a 12-month period in the past decade was 2,100.