Leader's blog - 5 August 2024

“The recent Government announcement about action to address the housing crisis is very welcome. The current shortage of homes is pushing up prices to unaffordable levels (average house prices in Stroud district are more than ten times higher than average earnings) and the lack of social housing means that we have 4,000 people on our housing waiting list. 

Local families often contact me to explain their circumstances and it’s heartbreaking that only the highest priority cases can secure the housing that they so badly need. A priority for this planning reform must be to increase the availability of social and affordable housing.  All new homes across the country should also be built to high standards, so that they are cheap to heat and comply with climate and nature commitments. 

Locally we have been doing our bit, by producing a new Local Plan which identifies sites for future development and sets out requirements for affordability and environmental standards. Given the change in planning policy, it is even more important to get our draft Local Plan across the line as soon as possible, so that new development can take place in suitable locations along with the infrastructure needed.  The Government proposes much higher housing targets (up from 620 to 844 homes per year for Stroud district) but given the final stage of our draft Local Plan, this higher target will not yet apply. 

For anyone with an interest in the examination stage of the draft Local Plan, monthly updates are published on the council’s website. It’s encouraging that the Government is also talking about ‘unlocking infrastructure’ to support housing growth, and I hope that funding can be found not only for motorway junctions but also to support the valued public transport infrastructure (including buses) which connects people across and beyond our local area.”

Cllr Catherine Braun, Leader of Stroud District Council