Housing targets are being exaggerated

THE Government’s intention to remove ‘obstacles’ to the delivery of more new homes is undermined by the recent report of the Office for Statistics Regulation about the ONS’s Population Estimates and Projections, and by concerns about projected housing numbers in some parts of the country.

Devon’s current target (based on the Government’s exaggerated target of 300,000 new homes per year for England) is 5,000 new homes per year, but Devon CPRE’s independent research shows the requirement to be only 4,300. Moreover, collectively Devon local authorities are overdelivering on the 5,000 target by an average of 30%.

This over-development is not for local needs, for our further research shows that two-thirds of Devon’s new homes are purchased by people moving to Devon from elsewhere.

Thousands of new residents every year are coming to live in Devon, yet there is no corresponding provision of the extra services and social and physical infrastructure that is needed.

Add to this the Government’s aim to reach net zero carbon by 2050, the building quality, energy efficiency and location of all our new housing should play a vital role in meeting this target and building standards and planning guidelines should be adapted with this in mind.

The big housing developers have had a free hand since 2008, and yet have failed to deliver the new housing needed, with one million permitted houses still unbuilt across the country.

At a time when so many people across the UK are involved in drawing up Local Plans to develop a beneficial and viable future for their communities, the Government should be insisting that these plans are used and adhered to, and not sacrificed to the need of a multibillion-pound industry to enrich its shareholders.

Rebecca Bartleet Chairman, Devon CPRE