Lichfield’s MP has urged the council to hold back on housing developments.
Michael Fabricant’s comments came following the release of information relating to how many new sites for development need to be found.
The figures released by Mr Fabricant show that 3,714 homes of the 8,000 total will need to be situated on land not already identified for development.
The full breakdown for the Lichfield district reveals:
- Houses completed April 2006-October 2009 – 1,157
- Housing under construction at October 2009 – 25
- Existing planning permissions – 1,916
- Land identified within current settlement envelopes as having the potential to accommodate housing – 1188
- Housing for which additional land is needed to be found – 3,714
Mr Fabricant said:
“Local campaigners argue that no more than around 3,500 additional homes need to be built. If this number were agreed, and given the number of houses completed or under construction, together with the 1,916 homes already have planning permission, it would mean that 1,584 new sites would have to be found. I think we can live with that.
“As for the 8,000 homes allocated to Lichfield District by the Region which would result in 4,902 sites being found to reach this target over and above those areas which already have planning permission, the Conservative Party is advising all councils to delay the implementation of this as all Regional Allocations would be scrapped by an incoming Conservative Government. It would then be up to individual district councils to allocate their own housing targets based on local need.
“I hope that councils will take the Conservative Party’s advice. Surely, it has to be better that local councillors exercise their own judgement about the number of houses that are needed and sustainable in their own districts? After all, it is local councillors and not the Regional Assembly that are accountable to local electors.”
