THE LEADER of Wokingham Council has started a petition, demanding the government revise the newly proposed planning system for homes in the borough.

The proposed changes, published on August 6, aim to see 300,000 new homes to be built per annum across England - however not everybody is happy with the plans' obligations.

Cllr John Halsall, Leader of the Wokingham Borough Council, said: "The Government is consulting on 'Changes to the Current Planning System' which will radically change how many houses local authorities across England are expected to build.

ALSO READ: Wokingham council aims to help residents in Tax debt

"As a result, three-quarters of all local authorities will be expected to build substantially more new homes than they currently are.

"We agree with the objective to provide everyone with a home but the obligations in the white paper are entirely on local authorities and the benefits are entirely with the developers.

"Currently, there are more than one million homes with planning permission across England that have not yet been built."

The petition was created yesterday, August 16, and is directed towards the Houses of Parliament, PM Boris Johnson, and Robert Jenwick MP, Secretary state for housing, Communities and Local government.

So far it has already gained more than 450 signatures.

Cllr Halsall continued: "The proposal puts the majority of the housing requirement in the South East, which is totally contrary to the Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ manifesto promise.

"The proposal also anticipates that developers will not build at the required rate and therefore obliges local authorities to grant excess planning applications to ensure their house building targets are met but without any pressure on developers to deliver what they planned."

ALSO READ: Wokingham leader questioned over poverty levels in borough

In the petition description, Cllr Halsall requested that:

  • Homes built where they are needed and not allocated by a one size fits all formula
  • Development to be led by plans that are set by local authorities with their residents
  • Developers forced to build the houses they have planning permission for remove developers ability to avoid obligation through viability
  • Enough developer contribution to build all infrastructure needed at an early stage of development
  • Development to include locally set percentage of affordable homes
  • Any changes to the planning system to require primary legislation,
  • The five-year land supply scrapped.

ALSO READ: Iceland reportedly opening in The Range in Bracknell

Cllr Halsall added: "Local authorities and residents know best how many houses they need to build, what type of houses they need to be, where they need to build them and what infrastructure those new houses and communities will require.

"We need to take the commercial interest out of planning and build houses to benefit local communities, not developer profits.

"We want a fair planning system to agree housing requirements with local communities, rather than government-imposed numbers which take no account of local needs and factors, the environment and congestion."

To sign the petition, visit change.org/p/robert-jenrick-build-houses-to-benefit-local-communities-not-developer-profits-1fcd87bf-9222-4cbf-8a20-f84fdd2f2af4