Leader of Cotswold District Council responds to Government’s letter stating housing targets remain
Cotswold District Council has received a formal response from Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, to the council leader’s recent letter expressing “deep concerns” over revised housing targets for the Cotswold district.
On Tuesday, July 22, Cllr Mike Evemy wrote to Angela Rayner, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, requesting that the government take due consideration for the "unique development constraints" in the Cotswold district, and pause its disproportionate housing target. This would be while the council works on a full update to its Local Plan.
In her reply, Baroness Taylor acknowledged the Cotswold district’s constraints but emphasised that all areas must “play their part” in meeting national housing needs. She pointed to the revised methodology’s affordability focus and strategic planning goals.
However, she did not commit to revisiting the housing targets or offer interim protections against speculative development while the new plan is being prepared.
Commenting on the response, Cllr Evemy said: “I am grateful to the government for taking the time to respond – but the response ignores the central point of our concerns.
“We have already committed to updating the Local Plan, and fully understand that this is the best tool for us to ensure sustainable development. But what happens in the meantime?
“Our communities are rightly concerned about what happens between now and the adoption of our updated Local Plan – and I am, too. The Council’s Planning and Licensing Committee is about to be asked to approve piecemeal, speculative development in unsuitable locations – or risk costing taxpayers tens of thousands of pounds at appeals which are most likely to go in the developers’ favour due to the government's unrealistic housing targets.
“The Minister states that other areas have similar constraints to the Cotswold district, but the reality is that there are very few planning authority areas which have as much land designated as National Landscape as we do here; 80 per cent lies within the protected Cotswolds National Landscape, with additional areas affected by flood risk and existing development.”
Cllr Evemy continued: “The response seems to be a reiteration of national policy rather than a tailored solution to the challenges we face. It leaves unanswered questions about how the government will support districts like ours during this very vulnerable transition period.
“We will continue to engage the government, local leaders and our communities to explain our position and request that national policy is reconciled with the reality in the Cotswolds.”