Labour housing reforms risk ‘developer free for all’ with not enough schools and GP surgeries, councils warn

Labour’s housing reforms risk a “developer free for all” in rural areas, as a group of councils warned “excessive targets” will pile pressure on roads, schools and services.

The County Councils Network, which represents 37 local authorities including North Yorkshire and the East Riding, said areas could be left at the mercy of speculative housing developers under the government’s planning reforms.

Labour has pledged to build 1.5 million homes by 2030.

To do this, it has introduced mandatory housing targets for councils and will allow more development on the Green Belt, provided it hits affordable housing quotas.

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Labour wants to build 1.5 million homes over the next Parliament. Credit: Andrew Matthews/PA WireLabour wants to build 1.5 million homes over the next Parliament. Credit: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire
Labour wants to build 1.5 million homes over the next Parliament. Credit: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

A survey by the CCN found the vast majority of its members support targets, however 90 per cent believe they are “excessive”.

The annual housing target for North Yorkshire has increased by 211 per cent under the new calculations - and that is higher than the target for Leeds.

While in Bradford, the annual housing target is actually lower than previously.

New analysis from the CCN has revealed that county and rural areas will see a dramatic increase in the number of houses built under the new mandatory targets.

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Councils are also worried by the lack of infrastructure in these places, warning that pressure on local roads, health services and schools has worsened over the last five years.

Coun Richard Clewer, housing and planning spokesperson for the CCN, said: “Councils in rural and county areas are not anti-housing and the vast majority support the principle of nationally set targets.

“But these targets are excessive and we are looking at having to build an extra 65,000 homes a year, without any commitment to the essential road networks, school places, and GP surgeries that will be required.

“We don’t have enough infrastructure to cope now, let alone after building quarter of a million extra homes over the course of this Parliament.”

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Just this week, the Government’s Planning Inspectorate overturned Barnsley Council’s decision to refuse permission for 200 homes in Carlton.

Councillors said there was a lack of infrastructure and the housing density fell short of what was required under the local plan.

Councils also claim they will be at the mercy of speculative development in unsuitable and unpopular places, saying the new system could become one which “drives a bulldozer through locally-led planning decisions”.

At the Labour Party’s conference, Sir Keir Starmer unveiled “planning passports” to increase housing density in big cities, with the Prime Minister citing Leeds as one of his target areas.

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It would make the default answer to planning applications as yes, if the housing was being built on a brownfield site in an area earmarked by councillors for development.

The Yorkshire Post also revealed that the Prime Minister will be granting compulsory purchase order powers to metro mayors to allow them to oversee big development projects.

A government spokesperson said: “We reject any claims that these targets are excessive.

“We are facing a serious housing crisis so all areas of the country must play their part in building the homes that Britain badly needs.

“We will work in partnership with councils to create the vital infrastructure that people need in their communities, as we meet our commitment to deliver 1.5 million homes in the next five years.”

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