A CHANGE in rules about house-building targets could benefit the Braintree district, a leading councillor has claimed.
Gabrielle Spray, planning boss at Braintree Council, says the Government’s reforms to the national planning policy framework will have a positive effect for the area.
Changes have been where national delivery targets for new housing aren’t needed to be met.
This allows authorities like Braintree Council to resist and possibly refuse applications whee organisations have bought unused land but have no formal commitment to build on it.
It also means that Braintree Council no longer must demonstrate a five-year housing land supply as it has an up to date Local Plan for the area.
Ms Spray said: "For the Braintree district, it means that unwanted, inappropriate developments on unallocated sites can be resisted in the strongest possible terms, refused and defended during the appeal process."
Braintree Council delivered 2,811 new homes between 2019 to 2022.
Ms Spray said: "We will begin work to review the Local Plan in due course.
“The Conservatives will ensure that the Local Plan remains a robust and sound policy document that enables sustainable housing growth to occur on allocated sites whilst giving us leverage to refuse inappropriate developments on unallocated sites.”
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