Somerset Labour’s Cllr Leigh Redman has this week welcomed an overhaul of planning policy announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner in Parliament.
Cllr Redman – who was Labour’s candidate to become Bridgwater and Burnham’s MP at last month’s General Election – says the package of proposals will reverse the damaging set of changes made last December when the Conservative Government scrapped mandatory housing targets and torpedoed housebuilding rates.
Construction to build new homes was down nearly 40% in the first three months of this year, compared with the year before.
Councillor Leigh Redman, leader of Somerset Council’s Labour group, says the updated National Planning Policy Framework just published also sets out a more strategic approach, prioritising poor-quality grey-belt land for building and introducing “golden rules” to ensure development works for local people and nature.
He adds: “This Labour Government was elected on a commitment to get Britain building.”
“That’s how we’ll grow our economy, fix and fund our public services, and deliver on the priorities for people all across Somerset.”
“The work to turn the tide and put an end to the housing crisis, this government inherited, has begun. Here in Somerset it will mean delivering infrastructure and public services alongside new homes to unlock economic opportunities.”
“Instead of taking tough choice, the Tories simply ran away. I am pleased that this Labour government isn’t afraid of making hard decisions in the national interest to power growth in every part of the country.”
“The new Labour government was elected on a mandate to build the homes Britain needs and take the tough choices to unblock the planning system and make it a reality. When it comes to housebuilding, we will no longer be asking “if” but “how”.”
“Let it never be forgotten that it was the last government’s haphazard approach to building on the green belt that has seen so many of the wrong homes built in the wrong places, without the local services people need. To be clear, this government is committed to preserving the green belt. But we need to move away from this broken system.”
“That’s why I am pleased that this government is committed to taking a more strategic approach, prioritising poor-quality grey-belt land for building and introducing “golden rules” to ensure those developments ensure affordable homes, public services and green spaces.”
