East Kettering development plans lack sufficient affordable housing

8.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 23rd May 2008

A planning application to build up to 5,500 homes to the east of Kettering has insufficient affordable homes, it has been revealed.

A presentation made by planning officers to the East Kettering Liaison Forum - a body set up to discuss the effect of housing plans - revealed that there was "a big variance" between the application and local targets.

The North Northamptonshire Core Spatial Strategy, approved by the government just last week, requires that 30% of new housing developments be affordable and provided on-site. Developers Alledge Brook propose only 20% of affordable homes, of which 10% is to be provided off-site.

Lib Dem campaigner Chris Nelson commented, "While local residents don't want a development of this scale to happen, if it is to be pushed upon us then we must make sure the development contains enough houses that ordinary families will be able to afford."

"With numbers of council houses continuing to diminish as central government siphons off funds raised through 'right-to-buy' schemes, it is essential that we sufficiently plan for the future. A development of this size must be able to meet these targets."

ENDS

Notes:

1. The statement that there was "a big variance" was made by planning officers whilst making a presentation to the first meeting of the East Kettering Liaison Forum, held yesterday evening (Wednesday 22nd May).

2. The core spatial strategy has been approved by Communities Minister Hazel Blears (http://www.northantset.co.uk/news/All-systems-go-for-a.4085824.jp). It requires that 30% of new homes in Kettering be affordable and provided on-site: http://www.nndev.co.uk/downloads/NN_CSS.pdf, page 70.