Borough needs new Local Plan as Government hikes housing targets

Changes to how the Government calculates an area’s housing need has increased the city’s target to 1,235 dwellings per annum up from the previous 920 target.

It prompted questions from opposition councillors, who expressed concerns about the impacts of higher housing targets.

Nick Allen, a Conservative councillor for Bessacarr ward, told the Labour cabinet members that residents in his ward worry that pressure on local infrastructure, like road, water and amenities, will worsen with these increased targets.

Coun Glyn Jones, deputy mayor of Doncaster and cabinet member for environment, housing and safer communities, said the new targets do not “mean that we simply accept growth without properly planning for its impacts”.

He added: “Fundamentally, the purpose of the Local Plan is to ensure that housing growth is planned, phased and supported by infrastructure, rather than being delivered in a piecemeal or reactive way.

“We are very aware of concerns where residents feel that infrastructure, whether roads, drainage, healthcare provision, or local amenities, have issues around their capacity.

“While the higher target does present a challenge, it also reinforces the importance of having a strong, up-to-date Local Plan to ensure that growth is delivered in a way that supports, rather than undermines, the quality of life in our communities.”

Local Plans are key documents which set out how and where an area will develop.

Coun Allen’s concerns were echoed by a number of Reform UK councillors, including Hatfield ward’s Dan Dawson, who similarly pressed the cabinet on the capacity of existing infrastructure.

The deputy mayor said: “The Local Plan will be supported by a comprehensive Infrastructure Delivery Plan. This is a critical piece of evidence that will set out, in detail, what infrastructure is required to support new development and to ensure that any impacts on services across Doncaster are properly managed and mitigated.

“In the meantime… it is important to reassure Members that infrastructure impacts are not left unaddressed.”

Coun Jones added that the planning process can secure additional provision through section 106 agreements – legally binding contracts which ensure developers contribute appropriately to the infrastructure their sites rely upon.

Members of Mayor Ros Jones’ cabinet permitted work to start on a new Local Plan during a meeting on May 20, 2026.

Coun James Church, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, planning and public health, who introduced the report, said: “Without an up-to-date Local Plan, this Council risks losing effective plan-led control, leaving Doncaster more exposed to speculative development and decisions taken through central Government planning inspectors via appeal rather than locally.”

The council will begin developing a new Local Plan in 2026, with adoption planned for 2029.