FEWER AFFORDABLE HOMES TO BE BUILT IN KIRKLEES

10.28.00am GMT Fri 14th Nov 2008

Cllr John Smithson (Deputy Leader of the Kirklees Liberal Democrat Group)

Kirklees Cabinet has approved changes to planning guidelines meaning that fewer affordable homes will now be built in the borough.

Under changes to the council's "Supplementary Planning Document" (SPD), developers will now only be required to make 15% of the homes they build on brownfield sites affordable (1). The previous SPD approved in 1999 set the level at 20%.

Cllr John Smithson (Deputy Leader of the Kirklees Liberal Democrat Group) said:

"The Conservative Cabinet's decision to reduce the number of affordable homes being built will hit those most in need the hardest. The numbers of on the waiting list for social housing are rocketing and to reduce the number of affordable homes being built will make the situation worse".

"The original plans rejected by the Conservative Cabinet proposed to increase the bar to 25% affordable homes on brownfield sites - an increase of 5%. To go the other way and drop it to 15% shows that the Cabinet to be more interested in responding to developers complaints about lower profits that putting roofs over people's heads."

"Yes, financially, this is a difficult time for developers, but the original plans that Cabinet rejected contained safeguards that allowed for flexibility on the affordable homes quota. Lowering the targets straight off like this just lets the developers off the hook."