Coventry's plans to protect green belt rejected by goverment

[dutchman]

Coventry's plan to protect the green belt by building just 12,000 new homes has been thrown out by a government inspector.



It comes after Nuneaton & Bedworth council and Birmingham City Council formally objected to Coventry City Council’s “core strategy” for nearly 12,000 homes on brownfield land over 20 years.

They complained Coventry’s proposed housing target would force more homes to be built within their boundaries.

A government-appointed planning inspector has now ordered Coventry City Council to carry out a joint study with neighbouring authorities. It will assess housing need across the region over the next 20 years.

The city council will then have to present a new core strategy plan to the planning inspector.

Two years of work has already gone into the core strategy - and two public consultations had sought residents’ views.

The inspector’s decision is expected to delay the process by up to another year.

The Conservatives came to power in 2010 under the coalition government and pledged to rip up Labour’s regional housing targets.

Conservative ministers, including then housing minister Grant Shapps, argued local councils would be able to determine their own housing need in future – and where homes would be built.

But Labour cabinet member Lynnette Kelly said the government had since moved the goalposts - demanding more joint planning between councils within regions.

She said: “I feel sorry for officers who have done a lot of work on our core strategy.

“They haven’t done anything wrong. It’s simply that the guidance has now changed.”

She said Coventry was required to also work jointly with Warwick and Rugby district councils.

Coventry council’s Labour leaders came to power in 2010 pledging to prevent any homes being built on green belt or green fields.

It was a guiding policy behind the core strategy’s 12,000-homes figure.

It contrasted with a 26,500-homes figures planned within Coventry’s boundary under the council’s former Tory administration, which blamed former Labour government targets for the wider West Midlands region.

Green belt and green fields threatened by new housing developments of several thousand homes included land in Keresley and near Finham.

Asked if the inspector’s ruling renewed a threat to Coventry ’s green belt, Coun Kelly said: “I couldn’t say either way until I’ve spoken with neighbouring authorities.

“It’s a matter of getting a number for development in the region. It’s too early to say.”

[rebbonk]

Source : 24Dash

Threads merged. The Telegraph headline was originally very similar but didn't fit so I had to reword it [dutchman]

[dutchman]

Housing bosses to meet councillors for talks on increasing home building in Coventry

COVENTRY councillors will host bosses from city housing companies today to discuss ways of increasing home building.

It comes after Coventry City Council’s plan to protect green belt by building just 12,000 new homes over 20 years was thrown out by the planning inspector.

A government-appointed inspector ordered the council to carry out a new joint study with neighbouring authorities to assess housing need after Nuneaton & Bedworth council and Birmingham City Council objected to its ‘core strategy’.

They claimed the 12,000 housing target would force more homes to be built within their boundaries.

Today the Scrutiny Board for Transport and Infrastructure Development will meet at the Council House to discuss how new housing schemes can be stimulated.

Coun Dan Howells, chair of the scrutiny board, said: "The challenges Coventry faces when it comes to housing are part of a national problem with home building down, rough sleeping up and people struggling to get mortgages.

"We have an ambitious vision for our city - for its economy, for our city centre and for Coventry to be a desirable place to work and live.

"Housing is an essential part of this vision. It is vital that we have a healthy dialogue with house builders.

"I hope that we can have an honest and open discussion about planning for the future and what we as a council can do to improve the climate to promote more home building."

The council’s ruling Labour group has previously promised to prevent any homes being built on green belt or green fields.

Its 12,000-home target came after a previous 26,500-homes figure was scrapped when the Coalition government came to power.

In 2010 the Conservative and Lib Dem government ripped up such regionally imposed targets, arguing councils should have more autonomy to decide how many homes should be built within their boundaries.

Coventry City Council has almost 23,000 households waiting for social housing - an increase of about 300 per cent in 12 years.

Social home builders such as Whitefriars Housing will be joined by other developers who will have their say on what the council should be doing to get them building.

Coun Howells added: "We’re aware that there is a mismatch between the types of properties that become available and those that people in housing need require.

"That’s why we are so keen to talk to housing providers to see what can be done about balancing this supply and demand."