A CRAVEN councillor has warned that proposed new house building targets for North Yorkshire are 'unrealistic' and if implemented could lead to 'piecemeal and unwanted' development.
Recently released, proposed new Government house building targets for North Yorkshire are 4,232 per year - the current annual figure for the whole of the county is 2,289.
The Craven Local Plan, which covers the period from 2012 to 2032, includes an annual house building target for Craven, outside the national park, of a minimum of 230, or 4,600 over the 20 years of the plan; while the yearly target is 50 in the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority's Local Plan, which covers the years 2023 until 2040.
The Craven plan will be replaced by a county-wide version in the second half of this decade and in April, North Yorkshire Council began a 'call for sites' that invites landowners to submit areas of land that could be turned over to housing. That process is still ongoing, with the first round of public consultations due to take place early in 2025.
The new Government house building targets, warns Mid Craven councillor Simon Myers, who sits on the North Yorkshire Council decision-making Executive with special responsibility for housing, could lead to some developers getting proposals that have been rejected by the local planning authority, approved on appeal to the Government's Planning Inspectorate.
Cllr Myers said while applauding the ambition to build more houses, the proposed figure for North Yorkshire could not be achieved and was unrealistic, but added they were proposed figures and discussions would take place with both Government and David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire.
"I absolutely recognise the ambition of Government to deal with the housing crisis, no one is more aware of it than I am, or as committed to dealing with it; however, we need to be a bit realistic, there is not the capacity in North Yorkshire to build 4,200 houses in North Yorkshire every year. It is a great idea, but we need to talk to Government," said Cllr Myers.
Not only was there a shortage of skilled labour to build so many properties, but housing needed to be built in the right places, local residents needed to be part of the planning process, while building outside agreed local plans could mean 'sporadic, piecemeal development', he said.
And, if figures remained unchanged, and set too high, the council could end up becoming a 'hostage to fortune".
He said: "Some developers whose plans have been turned down by planning committees will win on appeal on the basis of five year planning supplies not having been met.
"The ambition to increase the density of housing is laudable, but it is not as simple as saying 'let's increase targets', you really need to take people with you with new housing, they have got to see the benefits of it. If houses are just plonked anywhere, existing residents will hate it, it is far better to do these things with engagement."
North Yorkshire Council's executive member for planning policy, Cllr Mark Crane, said: "The Government is asking for views on proposed changes to the planning system, and we are looking closely at what is being suggested and how it could affect North Yorkshire.
"We will be responding to the consultation, which includes minimum annual housing targets across the country. The proposed annual target for North Yorkshire is 4,232 new homes, which we do believe is a high number and may be difficult to achieve. However, this is still a proposal and the policies and numbers could change.
"Planning decisions are being made under current policies and legislation and work is continuing on the new Local Plan, which will be the first countywide planning blueprint for North Yorkshire. The first major stage of consulting with the public on the Local Plan will take place early next year.
"Through the Local Plan, we will look at where homes and jobs are most needed, along with policies to ensure high quality design as well as giving the necessary protection for our built and natural environment and delivering infrastructure to support sustainable growth."
The annual housebuilding target as determined in the Craven Local Plan, adopted in November, 2019, is for 230 additional dwellings per year.
The plan makes provision for 4,600 net additional dwellings from April 1 2012 March 31, 2032. A total 2,484 dwellings were completed in the Craven Plan area from the adoption of the local plan in 2012 to the end of March this year.
As of the start of April this year, there were a total of 928 dwellings available with planning permission.
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