Quota for new homes in North West Leicestershire set to rise above 600 a year under fresh Government targets

By Hannah Richardson 2nd Aug 2024

Photos: © David Calvert | Dreamstime.com
Photos: © David Calvert | Dreamstime.com

North West Leicestershire is set to see the biggest increase in its quota of new homes, up 264 annually - from 357 to 621.

But the district is already building more than that a year - with an average of 789 new properties built each year between the 2020/21 financial year and 2022/23.

The number of homes which must be built each year in Leicester and the county is set to increase in most areas.

The fresh targets come as the Government plans to radically overhaul planning rules to "get Britain building", and create 1.5 million additional new homes across the country over the next five years.

The number of homes Britain will have to construct each year looks set to increase from 305,223 under the previous Conservative Government to 371,541 under Labour.

Labour's housing secretary and deputy prime minister Angela Rayner told Parliament on Tuesday that the country had "a housing crisis" and new homes were "desperately" needed.

In almost every area of Leicester and Leicestershire, quotas for the number of new homes are to be increased.

This comes despite some areas currently failing to meet their existing targets. The housing secretary said the new targets would be mandatory "for the first time". At the moment, they are "advisable", she added.

The Government is consulting on the proposed changes, which are expected to come into effect by the end of the year.

The biggest change is expected to occur in Leicester. However, the new target is likely to be seen as good news for the city – which has previously said it does not have enough room within its borders to meet its current quota – as it will need to build 745 fewer homes a year than previously.

The city's requirement looks set to drop from 2,435 homes annually to 1,690. The city built an average of 1,014 homes a year between the 2020/21 financial year and 2022/23, however, so it will still need to ramp up construction to meet the threshold.

Charnwood borough, in the county, is expected to see a reduction of 103 properties, taking its annual target from 1,115 to 1,012. But again, the area fell well short of requirements in recent years, with an average of 763 homes built each year.

Hinckley and Bosworth comes in close behind North West Leicestershire, with its targets set to jump from 432 to 689 new homes each year, a rise of 257. The borough will need to increase housebuilding as, while it is meeting its current target, its annual average of 535 new properties falls short of the proposed new requirement.

Blaby will likely see a quota hike of more than 200 new homes a year, with the Government calling on it to build an additional 230 properties annually. This takes its requirement from 329 to 559 annually. The district also has struggled to build enough new housing each year, with an average of 290.

Harborough comes in just shy of the 200 mark, with a proposed increase of 196 new properties annually. The district currently builds substantially more than needed, however, with an average construction total of 981 homes – more than both its current target of 510 and new target of 706.

Meanwhile, there is set to be a rise of 191 homes a year for Oadby and Wigston borough, taking it from 198 to 389. The area has a current average of 232 new homes each year.

Melton borough is expected to see the smallest rise, with an increase of 178 homes yearly. This takes its new target to 370, up from 192. Its current average is not too far off the new quota, at 340.

Speaking on Tuesday, Ms Rayner told MPs: "I've come to the House to make a statement about this Government's plan to get Britain building. Delivering economic growth is our number one mission. It's how we'll raise living standards for everyone, everywhere. The only way we can fix our public services.

"So today I am setting out a radical plan to not only get the homes we desperately need, but also drive the growth, create jobs and breathe life back into towns and cities. We are ambitious, and what I say won't be without controversy, but this is urgent because this Labour Government is not afraid to take on the tough choices needed to deliver for our country."

In addition to the new targets, the deputy PM is proposing to allow building to take place on parts of the country's green belts – undeveloped areas which serve as buffers between built-up towns, villages and cities. She said local councils would "have to review their green belt, if needed, to meet housing targets".

However, she said councils would be encouraged to "prioritise low-quality grey belt land". Grey belt is a new term the Government is looking to introduce into the planning system. It is expected to refer to areas of the green belt that have already been developed or make a limited contribution to "green belt purposes". Those could be sites on the edges of communities or next to roads, and former petrol stations or car parks.

Ms Rayner added: "And where land in the green belt is developed, new golden rules will require provision of 50 per cent affordable housing with a focus on social rent, as well as schools, GP surgeries and transport links that the community needs, and improvements to accessible green space."

However, the housing secretary insisted the Government's new targets were not intended to "ride roughshod" over the wishes of local communities. She said: "Decisions about what to build should reflect local views… well, that should be about how to deliver new homes, not whether to."

     

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