The most recent data from the Office of National Statistics (2016) shows that the Government’s target of 300,000 new homes a year substantially overestimates the number needed to solve the housing crisis. However new planning rules - due to come into force next year - ignore these latest projections in favour of outdated data from 2014.
Consultation on the new rules is due to end this week (December 7) so CPRE Sussex is urging people to take action NOW before it is too late.
“This is a crucial consultation has not been properly publicised,” says CPRE Sussex’s Dr Smith “consequently the public, including many parish councils, are unaware. We are urging people to act now by objecting to the Government’s hocus pocus with housing targets.”
“When the government realised that the 2016 figures didn’t meet their expectations, they effectively rigged the system.” Dr Smith explains. “It’s important to understand that the 300,000 number is not based on science – it is just an arbitrary figure created by this government to service their dependence on the building industry. It takes no account of growing economic uncertainties and a reducing demand for new houses. The ramifications for communities, local plans and the countryside are huge.”
“The house builders themselves realise this – In October, Crest Nicholson said it “is pausing its growth ambitions to align with current market conditions, slowing down build rates and reducing land expenditure”.”
The new planning rules - ‘Changes to planning policy and guidance including the standard method for assessing local housing need’ (Ministry of Housing, Local Government and Communities) - are now the subject of a public consultation, which ends 11.45 pm on 7 December.
“We are urging local people and local councils to respond to this consultation and ask that the government uses the most up to date housing projections from 2016, instead of old data from 2014, in order to calculate how many homes local councils should plan for,” says CPRE Sussex Director, Kia Trainor.
The consultation can be accessed via this link: