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Burnham seeks ‘urgent meeting’ with housing minister over Manchester housing numbers
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is seeking an “urgent meeting” with housing minister Kit Malthouse over the government’s housing delivery target for the region.
Mr Burnham accused the government of being “unfair and dishonest” after comments from the minister on Thursday in parliament.
In a debate on the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework, which was released in draft form last month, Mr Malthouse downplayed the importance of the government’s housing need target.
This target estimates the number of homes needed in different parts of England and is intended to prevent each area from coming up with its own methodology, a process that had been seen as causing disputes and delays.
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The housing minister told parliament: “It is exactly that – a target. It is a baseline from which a local authority can work to effectively establish the number of homes that it needs in its area. In the examination of any plan, a local inspector will look at the plan and accept properly evidenced and assessed variations from that target.
“If, for example, there are constraints such as an area of outstanding natural beauty, green belt or whatever it might be, and people can justify a lower number, an inspector should accept that.”
According to a statement released over the weekend by Mr Burnham, these comments “give a very different impression to the one offered in private by civil servants”.
He said: “Under pressure from Conservative backbenchers, it would appear that the government is trying to soften its line on housing numbers and green belt and deflect blame towards councils. We see this same tactic with council tax rises. It is unfair and dishonest.”
The mayor of Greater Manchester pointed out that the government’s planning guidance says local authorities are “expected” to use the government’s methodology unless they can demonstrate exceptional circumstances.
He added that Greater Manchester has signed a ‘housing deal’ with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), which requires it to deliver 227,200 homes in the 19-year period between 2015/16 and 2034/35.
Mr Burnham said: “Greater Manchester does not believe it has been offered the flexibility over housing numbers as claimed by the minister. His comments were at best partial and at worst misleading.”
The mayor said that he would be asking the minister for an “urgent meeting” to clear this up.
Inside Housing has contacted the MHCLG for comment.
The government released its housing delivery test figures last week, finding that 108 councils and planning authorities had delivered less than the 95% of the target required.
These councils will be required to develop action plans, introduce more land for housing into their local plans and in the most extreme circumstances could face a partial loss of control of planning approvals in their area.
