News
Hertfordshire celebrates as housing figures scrapped
Hertfordshire County Council is welcoming news that the government plans to scrap unrealistic housing development figures for the county.
The news that the East of England Plan, the area’s Regional Spatial Strategy, is to be abolished means that proposals to build as many as 107,000 new homes are no longer in the frame.
Derrick Ashley, Executive Member for Planning, said: “We fought the previous government every step of the way over their plans for Hertfordshire, including our successful high court challenge to the East of England Plan 2021, so we’re very pleased with this decision to scrap unrealistic housing targets.
“There is a growing need for new housing, but it is vital that these homes enhance local communities and, wherever possible, don’t encroach on our valuable greenbelt.
“Although we don’t have precise information about what will replace regional planning, indications at present are that locally-based planning systems, where local communities reach their own decisions about housing needs, may be introduced. We have said all along that the people who are in the best position to decide where to situate new homes are the people who live in the local area and have local knowledge.
“We keenly await news of how housing development figures will be decided in the future and also look forward to any decisions on how the infrastructure needed to support new developments will be funded.”
It is anticipated that the legislation required to formally change the planning system will be introduced over the next twelve months.
Post a Comment on this News Article.