ST Helens Council has answered whether a Government announcement will have any impact on the target to build more than 10,000 homes by 2037.

An overhaul of the planning system has been announced, as the Government sets out “tough decisions necessary to fix the foundations and grow the economy”.

All councils in England are to be given new, mandatory housing targets to pave the way to deliver 1.5 million more homes – tackling the “most acute housing crisis in living memory”.

The new targets will mean councils “must boost” housebuilding in areas “most in need”, helping more people buy their own homes, “removing the largest barriers to economic growth, and getting Britain building again”.

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Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “Our decisive reforms to the planning system correct the errors of the past and set us on our way to tackling the housing crisis, delivering 1.5 million homes for those who really need them.

“And something I am personally proud of, our new flexibilities for councils will boost the number of social and affordable homes, and give working families a better route to a secure home.”

The St Helens Local Plan, up to 2037, was adopted in July 2022.

It proposed a minimum of 10,206 net additional dwellings in the borough between 2016 and 2037 – an average of at least 486 dwellings per year.

St Helens Council has commented on the matterSt Helens Council has commented on the matter (Image: St Helens Star)

St Helens Council has been asked if the announcement from the Government has any impact on the St Helens Local Plan, and the target to build 10,206 new homes by 2037.

“The Government is currently consulting on a new standard method for calculating local housing need, which St Helens Borough Council are considering in detail,” said a spokesman.

“In the meantime, the council will continue to work to deliver the housing requirement set out within the adopted Local Plan.”

The spokesman says the council “robustly demonstrated” to the independent planning inspectors that conducted the Local Plan examination that 10,206 dwellings could be built by 2037.

“This remains the case, with some housing sites allocated in the Local Plan now with planning permission, and other housing site allocations subject to planning applications,” he added.

“The council also continues to support the delivery of suitable proposals on sites within the urban area, which provide an important contribution to meeting the overall housing requirement by 2037.”

Asked how many of these homes are planned for green belt land, the spokesman said: “None of these new homes are planned for green belt land as its designation was removed for these allocated sites on adoption of the St Helens Local Plan.

“Using the indicative capacities set out in the St Helens Local Plan for the sites allocated on land formerly designated as green belt, 2,114 dwellings will be delivered on such sites.

“However, please note that this number is indicative only and will be subject to change as detailed planning applications come forward.”