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Thousands of homes due despite U-turn
PLANS for thousands of new homes in Brackley and Towcester will continue despite the scrapping of Government housing targets.
This month's announcement by Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles on the removal of the Regional Spatial Strategy hands back power to local authorities such as South Northants Council to decide how many houses should be built in the district.
The West Northants Development Corporation are currently reviewing a planning application by Persimmon/Bloor for up to 2,700 new homes to the south and west of Towcester and the recent Brackley masterplan anticipates Brackley will provide 2,000 new homes by 2026.
SNC this week confirmed the expansion of the towns will go ahead.
To avoid planning decisions being taken over by planning inspectors, SNC has decided to retain the current target of building 330 new houses per year.
Chris Lofts of Towcester Town Council said: "Potentially this is a good thing because it does bring decisions on expansion and where houses are
located firmly back to a local level and does perhaps give SNC more flexibility.
"But at the end of the day it has to be a balance between having development and its benefits and not losing out to piecemeal development that doesn't do anyone any good."
Mark Fowler of Deanshanger Matters, a group fighting housing growth says he is waiting to see what target SNC will set for itself.
He said he had hoped large housing development in Brackley and Towcester would take pressure away from villages like Deanshanger but understands the housing numbers for the towns are in addition to
those set by the RSS.
Robin Digby, SNC's councillor for development implementation said: "It is very good news that previous targets for excessive housing growth levels have been abolished.
"However, until we can get an up-to-date plan and target in place based on robust evidence about local housing needs, we will have to provide a housing land supply based on previous targets."
According to an independent report commissioned by the National Housing Federation scrapping of the strategy has led to local authorities across
the country cutting their housing targets by a total of 85,000.
What do you think? Drop us a line with your views either by phone on 01280 827940 or by email at editorial@buckinghamadvertiser.co.uk.
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Monday 13 February 2012
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