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Kent County Council hits back at government over housing growth targets

20:48, 13 November 2024

updated: 20:51, 13 November 2024

The government has received some home truths about its plans to step up housing development and relax planning rules.

Kent County Council (KCC) has told the new Labour administration its targets for many more homes cannot be delivered without the correct infrastructure and sufficient funding.

Deputy Labour leader and housing minister Angela Rayner Picture: Stefan Rousseau/PA
Deputy Labour leader and housing minister Angela Rayner Picture: Stefan Rousseau/PA

The council was responding to a lengthy consultation document aimed at assessing reaction to government plans to “get Britain building”.

It warned the government that in some areas, some housing targets are “not considered to be achievable”.

The Secretary of State for housing Angela Rayner announced Labour plans to free up planning policy to accelerate national house building quotas from 300,000 to 370,000 annually.

London’s requirement has been dropped by almost half to 52,000 having failed to hit previous targets.

But the county council has asked for the distribution of housing targets to be “fair” to areas surrounding the capital.

The KCC author wrote: “Areas which may experience sudden jumps in housing, will need significant investment in infrastructure to achieve that sustainable housing growth, which will create viability challenges, as well as challenges for infrastructure providers, such as the county council, to ensure these are provided in a timely manner to support the growth.”

The authority added: “The county council does raise concern around the proposed distribution of housing across the country. This distribution must be fair to ensure that areas which surround London are not forced to take on housing as London is unable to meet its housing need.

“The county council would draw the government’s attention to the clear pressure on existing infrastructure in Kent due to housing development.

“Services within the county council are having to provide more infrastructure and services with less income and resources.

“Considering all the infrastructure required to support development coming through the current (local council) Local Plans, there is a clear and large funding gap to be able to provide the necessary infrastructure already before the new methodology or a greater housing need is introduced.

“The county council must ensure that it remains in a viable financial position. There has already been considerable pressure on already stretched financial budgets.

“The Government must address the proper funding of local authorities at all levels, especially with additional asks arising through these proposed reforms.”

House building near Maidstone
House building near Maidstone

KCC said a lack of clarity and “continuous reform…have created an environment of uncertainty for plan making and the market, ultimately delaying the delivery of new homes and supporting infrastructure”.

The council also notes housing targets in some areas are “excessive” and do not reflect the shortage of suitable land or the lack of infrastructure to deliver growth.

KCC report said: “In some areas, the targets are not considered to be achievable.”

In July, housing secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner told the House of Commons: “So, we’re also changing the standard method used to calculate housing need. So it better reflects the urgency on supply for local areas.

“Rather than relying on outdated data, this new method will require local authorities to plan for homes proportionate to the size of existing communities.

A house building project at Lenham, near Maidstone
A house building project at Lenham, near Maidstone

“And it will incorporate an uplift where house prices are most out of step with local incomes.

“The collective total of these local targets will therefore rise from some 300,000 a year to just over 370,000 a year.”

Mrs Rayner also called for local authorities to take part in a “council house revolution” so that the need for social housing is not an “add on” to the numbers.

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