South Holland would need to build 26 per cent more new homes a year according to government targets.
And they should be built in places like Holbeach, a key county councillor has said, writes Local Democracy Reporter Jamie Waller.
The Labour government announced a new planning policy this week to deal with, what it calls a national housing crisis.
It aims to build 1.5m homes over the course of the Parliament, with developers encouraged to look at poor quality areas of countryside known as ‘grey belt’ land.
Lincolnshire authorities would be expected to build a total of 4,354 homes per year, up from 2,854 previously.
South Holland’s current target is to build 427 new homes a year, but the aim would be to increase that to 542.
Coun Colin Davie (pictured), the Conservative executive member for economic development and planning at Lincolnshire County Council, said there is no chance of hitting these goals.
“It’s wishful thinking – there’s no way in my view that Lincolnshire could even get close to meeting these increased targets,” he said.
“We’ve already got housing targets from the previous Conservative government, and we’re not even meeting those.
“You simply can’t increase East Lindsey’s target by 150 per cent with all the problems with flooding in the coastal areas – not to mention market towns without the infrastructure to support those extra homes.”
He said housing decisions should be taken on a local level, focusing on growing areas.
“It’s simple – put homes where the jobs are, like around the food zone in Holbeach, Lincoln, or market towns with expanding industrial estates,” continued Coun Davie who represents Skegness, in East Lindsey.
“There needs to be a fundamental review of where we are putting homes.”
