Lib Dems condemn Labour’s housing policy amid planning delays

The Liberal Democrat group at Cherwell District Council has strongly criticised the Labour government’s decision to reintroduce the requirement for the council to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply using their new method for estimating housing needs.

Lib Dems condemn Labour’s housing policy, highlighting that this change is unnecessary given that Cherwell already has over 8,000 homes with planning permission but awaiting construction.

The Lib Dems also condemned the previous Conservative administration for its delays in progressing the emerging Local Plan, leaving the district in a vulnerable position.

Under the government’s new National Planning Policy Framework, Cherwell’s housing need has been increased from 706 homes per year to 1,118. Recent decisions by the Planning Inspectorate mean that sites planned to help Oxford’s housing needs must now be factored into the district’s housing land supply.

This includes 4,400 homes for Oxford’s unmet housing needs, which now must be included in the new method for calculating housing demand. As a result, Cherwell can currently demonstrate only 2.3 years of housing supply, rather than the required 5 years.

Councillor Jean Conway, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Development Management, commented: “With over 8,000 homes with planning permission and a new local plan on the way, it is incredibly frustrating that the government, under Labour’s direction, has reintroduced a requirement to continuously demonstrate a five-year housing land supply.

Despite Cherwell’s strong track record of delivery, the government’s changes mean that we’re being pushed back to the days when we must permit more development simply because housebuilders aren’t meeting their targets. All the while, the council is doing the right thing by advancing a new Local Plan that addresses our local housing needs.”

The Lib Dems and Green Independent Alliance administration have an action plan to address these challenges. The plan will bring a renewed focus on sites with planning permission, ensuring that developers provide clear evidence of delivery when submitting plans and addressing any barriers slowing construction.

The Lib Dems are committed to ensuring that housing is delivered in a way that protects Cherwell’s green spaces, rural villages, heritage assets, and overall sustainability.

Councillor David Hingley, Leader of the Council and Cherwell Liberal Democrats said: “The Labour government’s reintroduction of this policy, combined with the previous Conservative administration’s failure to progress the Local Plan, has left Cherwell in a vulnerable position.

The new action plan will ensure that we are focused on delivering the homes our communities need while maintaining sustainable growth. We cannot allow speculative, unsustainable developments to dictate the future of our district. Our focus is on addressing the real barriers that are slowing progress and making sure that housing is delivered responsibly and in the right locations”.