03 December 2004
Kent County Council has claimed victory in its battle to reduce the government's house-building targets in the Southeast.
But the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has warned that it could still overrule a decision to cap the number of new homes in the region, to meet escalating demand from first-time buyers.
Kent, led by Local Government Association chair Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, announced on November 29 that it had 'won its fight' against plans by the South East England Regional Assembly to build up to 8,000 homes per year above current regional planning guidelines.
The ODPM had approved Seera's plans but Kent, West Sussex, Surrey and Oxfordshire councils opposed the initiative. Bruce-Lockhart said: 'Seera had called for up to a staggering 36,000 houses a year. This we have now defeated. We need more houses for Kent's young people, first-time buyers and for more elderly people living alone; this is what we have planned for.'
But an ODPM spokesman said: 'Ministers still have an opportunity to amend these proposals.'
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