Ministers clear way for 15,000 homes

housing shortage in the country that the government is trying to tackle nationally.

“We are committed to ensuring we have a Local Plan that reflects A controversial blueprint for what the area needs, and if the future housing development plan is adopted at full council, we across the district has finally will begin work straight away on been approved by the governreviewing our requirements for ment – paving the way for the future.” 15,000 new homes over the next Clive Church, of the South 20 years. Canterbury Alliance, which

The weighty Local Plan docurepresents an area which will ment earmarks suitable sites for host the biggest concentration housing and employment, which of new homes on the Mountfield council bosses say will encourPark development, says resiage a “vibrant and successful” dents have become resigned to district. different scenarios for how we scale of development.

It was first submitted for examiwanted the district to develop He said: “It’s been going on a nation in November 2014 and has in the years ahead. long time and while we’ve not been widely debated. “Since then we have consulted come to love it, we have expected The scale it.ofdevelopmentwidelyonnumerousoccasions sparked objections from many and had the plan thoroughly “But we remain very concerned residents who are concerned examined at a very testing about air quality and what the about the traffic congestion and inquiry. inspector is saying about that. pollution it could cause. “We now have a Local Plan that “We will want to look at the

But a planning inspector emphasises that the Canterbury small print of his report before says the document can now district has a strong economic making any judgements. be adopted by the city council, future and provides the land “There is also a question of having previously increased the needed for jobs and the housing when all these homes will be number of homes which should that goes with them, complete built because there is already a be built each year from 780 to 800. with the necessary infrastrucmarked slowdown in develop

It is now expected to be adopted ture such as roads, schools and ment.” and implemented by the council. medical facilities. The inspector’s findings and a

City council leader Simon Cook “An increase in the number full list of modifications is availsaid: “This is the culmination of of new homes also forms our able to view at www.canterbury. 11 years hard work looking at response to the acknowledged gov.uk/localplannews.

A blueprint for future housing has been approved by the government

Clive Church is leading the fight against development