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Lancashire will be expected to build almost 4,300 more homes each year under government plans to boost housebuilding nationwide.
Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) analysis of the proposals reveals that they are set to fall heavily on the county – with Lancashire accounting for half of the top ten areas in line for the biggest percentage increases.
All bar three of the county’s 14 council areas will be expected to at least double their annual new housing tallies under a new system of mandatory targets – with two being required to treble theirs, two more to quadruple them and a further two to increase new home numbers by more than 500 percent.
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One council planning cabinet member has branded the changes “frightening” – and warned that they could mean new estates will encroach on the greenbelt.
Across Lancashire, Burnley will see the largest proportional increase in the homes it is expected to deliver annually – up by 628 percent, the second-highest rise by that measure anywhere in England.
The biggest numerical increase will be in Blackpool, where an extra 485 properties will be demanded each year, while West Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen would be required to build more than 400 extra each year and Preston and South Ribble just shy of that amount.
Chorley will get the lowest increase by proportion and actual number – 95 extra dwellings – but will still be required to build over 600 homes a year, in spite of repeated calls from the borough council for targets to reflect the 2,800 properties built within its borders as part of the Buckshaw Village development a decade ago.
The Lancashire increases are based on comparisons with the minimum housebuilding numbers required as part of the previous system before it was scrapped by the last government late last year and the targets made only advisory.
The overhaul is part of the new government’s plans to build 1.5 million homes during the course of this parliament – with the annual total number needing to be delivered across England rising from a target of 300,000 to 370,000. In spite of the previous 300,000 aspiration, fewer than 235,000 were built in 2022-23.
The suggested new local targets are minimums – and some areas will already be exceeding the numbers previously required of them.
A public consultation has now been launched into the government’s proposed planning overhaul.
‘Greenbelt loss would be a travesty’
Wyre Council’s cabinet member for planning policy has accused the government of ”putting their finger in the air” in order to come up with Lancashire’s inflated housing targets.
Peter Le Marinel says the 357-dwelling annual increase being demanded of his borough is “breathtaking”.
“All of the housebuilding we’ve been doing in Wyre has [culminated] over the last few years – so our completion rate has been running at about 694 a year. So the government have obviously thought, ‘Well, if they can do 694, they can do 637 [Wyre’s new annual target].
“But they don’t seem to realise that the years before were really low, because that’s when the building was taking place. We hit our peak over the last three years – and that would have started to go down now.
“[Under the new targets], we would be looking at another 6,000 homes in Wyre [during our next local plan period] through until 2040. That’s a lot – especially when you consider we’ve done about 9,000 in the last 10 years. I think it’s frightening,” Cllr Le Marinel said.
He also sounded the alarm about the proposed hardening of the duty on councils to co-operate with each other over housing delivery – given that neighbouring Blackpool has been handed the highest numerical increase in housebuilding target anywhere in Lancashire, of an extra 485 homes per year.
“We could literally have thousands of houses dumped in Wyre from Blackpool, because Blackpool just don’t have the land to be able to do [what they are being asked]. Then our greenbelt might be under threat, which would be an absolute travesty.
“We have got three small areas of greenbelt, which do the job they are supposed to do and separate [built-up] areas. We have currently got no reason to go anywhere near that,” Cllr Le Marinel added.
Blackpool Council said it was not yet in a position to comment on the proposed new housing target, as it was still assessing what it meant for the authority.
The government is consulting on requiring councils to review greenbelt boundaries – and release some of that land, where necessary, to meet housing or commercial need.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner stressed that the government is “committed to protecting nature”, but said some areas classed as greenbelt under the current system – like disused car parks and industrial estates – make little contribution to its intended purpose and would be more accurately described as “grey belt”. She said such previously-developed sites should be prioritised for sustainable development.
Any land released for housing in the greenbelt will be subject to the government’s ‘golden rule’ that at least half of the resultant development must be made up of properties that fall into the ‘affordable homes’ category – and so are offered at a discount to market prices. New estates in those areas should also come with access to green spaces and the necessary infrastructure, such as schools and GP surgeries.
Housebuilding league
Numerical increase in annual housebuilding targets under the proposed new system (old >>> new):
Blackpool – 485 properties (147 >>> 632)
West Lancashire – 439 properties (166 >>> 605)
Blackburn with Darwen – 430 properties (134 >>> 564)
Preston – 393 properties (269 >>> 662)
South Ribble – 377 properties (169 >>> 546)
Wyre – 357 properties (280 >>> 637)
Burnley – 318 properties (51 >>> 369)
Lancaster – 283 properties (415 >>> 698)
Hyndburn – 263 properties (50 >>> 313)
Pendle – 258 properties (124 >>> 382)
Ribble Valley – 217 properties (113 >>> 330)
Fylde – 200 properties (257 >>> 457)
Rossendale – 182 properties (179 >>> 361)
Chorley – 95 properties (506 >>> 601)
Total annual Lancashire increase: 4,297
(Source: Local Democracy Reporting Service analysis of government data)
Percentage annual increase in housebuilding targets under the proposed new system:
Burnley – 625 percent
Hyndburn – 528 percent
Blackpool – 328 percent
Blackburn with Darwen – 320 percent
West Lancashire – 264 percent
South Ribble – 223 percent
Pendle – 209 percent
Ribble Valley – 191 percent
Preston – 146 percent
Wyre – 127 percent
Rossendale – 102 percent
Fylde – 78 percent
Lancaster – 68 percent
Chorley – 19 percent
(Source: Local Government Chronicle)
Reaction Round-up
Blackburn with Darwen
“The government’s new national planning policy highlights the importance of councils having robust local plans in place. Having adopted a new local plan fairly recently puts this council in a strong position to work with the government and continue moving forward with our ambitious plans. This puts us ahead of the game, and I’m very proud of that. The government reform also encourages cross-boundary strategic planning, as a means of delivering the national target of 1.5million new homes over the next five years. As an authority, we welcome this, and recognise that this will benefit other areas of economic growth. We’ll continue to meet targets of including affordable homes in new housing developments, and will look out for potential new funding opportunities through Homes England.” Blackburn with Darwen Council’s executive member for growth and development, Cllr Quesir Mahmood
Chorley
“We’ve been vocal for a long time that the homebuilding numbers set for Chorley have been too high and that whilst we are pro-development and believe that there must be more affordable housing, we’re clear that it must be done in a way which is appropriate, with the correct infrastructure in place and that meets the needs of our residents. We’ll now be considering the new figures with our teams and mapping out a way forward.”Chorley Council leader Alistair Bradley
Hyndburn
“We are aware of the recently released consultation on the proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system. As this is a comprehensive and detailed document, we are currently in the process of thoroughly reviewing its contents to understand the potential impacts on Hyndburn. At this stage, it is too early to provide specific comments or detailed responses.” Hyndburn Council leader Munsif Dad
Lancaster
“The government’s announcement this week regarding planning reform, including revised housing targets, is only a consultation at this stage. Therefore, the new housing targets advocated by government have not yet been introduced. “Lancaster City Council will consider the consultation and submit a response to Government. Any response made by the city council will be publicly available shortly after submission. Should other groups or individuals be interested in making their own representations regarding this national consultation, they should visit [the government website]. Lancaster City Council spokesperson
South Ribble
“We are aware of the housebuilding targets set for South Ribble and our teams are now in the process of understanding the implications of the new figures and how we can move forward to continually ensure that there is appropriate house building in the borough, which meets the needs of our residents.” South Ribble Borough Council leader Jacky Alty
All 14 of Lancashire’s planning authority councils were approached for comment.
What the government says
The methodology used to generate the new housing targets updates what the government says is the “decade-old data” on which the previous system was based – and will require councils to ensure homes are built “in the right places and development is proportionate to the size of existing communities”.
It will, however, be possible for councils to justify a lower housing figure than the target set for them – but that would have to be “evidenced and explained through consultation”. Local authorities that cannot meet their development needs will have to demonstrate how they have worked with their neighbours to try to do so.
Housing secretary Angela Rayner said the changes mark “a significant step to getting Britain building again”.
“Our decisive reforms to the planning system correct the errors of the past and set us on our way to tackling the housing crisis, delivering 1.5 million homes for those who really need them.
“And something I am personally proud of, our new flexibilities for councils will boost the number of social and affordable homes, and give working families a better route to a secure home,” she added.
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