Published: Friday, 13th December 2024
Sevenoaks District Council continues to express concerns over the Government's revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
The latest NPPF, released on Thursday 12 December, has given an “immediate mandatory” increased housing target of 1,149 new homes a year, a 63% increase on the current target for the Sevenoaks District. There will also be a requirement to review green belt boundaries and identify and prioritise “grey belt” land to meet the new target.
In response, the Council has said that whilst it welcomes efforts to boost local housing supply to meet residents’ needs, including more social and affordable housing in future developments, it is deeply disappointed that the new Government has introduced national policies which will force many local authorities to develop the Green Belt.
Cllr Julia Thornton, Sevenoaks District Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Conservation, says:
“The Council cares deeply about protecting as much of our highly performing Sevenoaks District Green Belt as we can. The Government now requires us to allow significantly more homes to be built and to identify lower quality grey and green belt land across the District to accommodate those much larger housing targets. We will therefore undertake targeted consultation with landowners in the new year and consult on the plans with all our residents as part of the Local Plan process.
“We know that protecting our precious Green Belt is a top priority for residents. Our District is 93% Green Belt, the second highest percentage in the country, and we remain committed to only developing on lower quality Green Belt, in very limited circumstances.
“However, we will have a duty to do everything possible to meet the Government’s new housing targets.
“What is sadly missing from the Government’s announcement is the need for a change of approach that ensures the development industry get on and build out their existing consents, particularly for affordable housing.
“We will now review our Local Plan timetable to fit the new 12-week government schedule.”
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