Leicestershire Housing Target Government Explains Building Demands

Leicestershire needs to build more homes. The government wants every area to do its part, and one area may need to increase homes by 42%. An MP says building happens too fast there, stating it’s “twice the rate of Leicester.”

Neil O’Brien is the MP for Harborough, and he objects to the government’s housing increase. Harborough District Council made a local plan that says they need 657 homes yearly until 2036.

After 2036, they need 534 homes each year until 2041, a slight decrease from the 2019 plan, which had 557 homes a year. O’Brien said it’s much faster than in 2001 and twice Leicester’s rate.

O’Brien stated the housing target increased by 42%, even though Leicester’s target decreased. He warned it means less brownfield building and more green spaces used.

The government claims Harborough is not unique, inheriting a housing crisis. They want 1.5 million homes built, and Harborough must help. A planning overhaul will remove building barriers, and councils must build more homes where needed.

O’Brien criticized how the local plan was made, calling the process “appalling.” He said it lacked transparency, and councillors lacked input on housing site choices, claiming leaders avoided public talks about sites.

The list of sites was delayed, appearing very late, according to O’Brien. He stated choosing extra homes from Leicester was a bad start as every deadline was missed, and he thinks they minimized public discussion on purpose.

Harborough District Council defended their work, stating it has worked hard to meet requirements. The council said they followed the government’s process and published the plan on February 12, planning to consult the public for eight weeks.

The council will then consider the responses and send the plan for review later in the year. The council says it must follow national rules, and the process they used follows these rules.