Leeds cuts housing target
Leeds City Council has cut its housing target in response to the Government’s new housing need proposals. The new housing targets for Leeds are set out in this article in Inside Housing:
After the announcement of the government’s new methodology for assessing housing need, which closed for consultation two weeks ago, Leeds reviewed the plan and now proposes to leave 33 of the sites in the green belt – roughly 55% of the green belt sites originally included in the plan.
According to the city’s original local assessment of housing need, it needed 3,660 homes a year, but statistics released this week show that it only built 2,824 homes in 2016/17.
According to the government’s new methodology, however, this figure is actually higher than necessary. The government’s new assessment of housing need in Leeds is that 2,649 homes are needed every year, leading the council to scale back its development plans.
This of course begs the obvious question: If Leeds can do it, why can’t Hart?
We believe Hart’s housing target in the forthcoming Local Plan should be cut from the ridiculous 10,185 in the latest draft to a more reasonable 6,500. This would include the 6,132 from the Government consultation and allow a few hundred extra to help out Surrey Heath.
However, it seems we have new town ideologues running the council now, who won’t listen to reason.
Pingback: Calderdale and Dorset reduce housing target | We Heart Hart
Dorset as well: http://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1449828/dorset-council-revise-housing-figures-wake-standardised-methodology-changes
Time to cut the numbers….now
Hart could cut it. But the LibDems and their CCH representatives seem unwilling to even consider it properly, let alone cut it.
True. But they have used the excuse that it’s just a consultation. There is a grain of truth in that. But Leeds are now showing the way, proving it can be done. Can you try and get them on the record about this at Thursday’s meeting
Maybe they’re still wading through the mess that’s been left behind from the previous Conservative council. They’ve only been in 5 minutes, give it a chance before pointing that finger.
Sarah Bryant 6 months. There is a timeline and some urgency needed. And note they were in cabinet previously.
Sarah Bryant sorry, we know the (in)capabilities of the current cabinet. That’s the reason Radley is doing everything.
Think of this: If Pale Lane goes through, after the lost appeal of Grove Farm with the delay CCH caused in the Local Plan process over a year ago what would have CCH achieved? Everything they have stood against would have been developed. Yet, the destruction they and their Lib Dem partners would have caused Hart will be permanent.
I think Leeds is a labour controlled council, so no reason non conservative councils can’t take advantage of the new planning numbers. CHH will probably never listen but libdems may?
Thanks for alerting me to this story James
David Turver you’re welcome David stumbled on it completely by chance.
You’re not letting the facts get in the way of a good story there, are you David?
A council doing the right thing?
Never catch on.