Opposition Criticises Cut in Hounslow Housebuilding Target

Government reduces number of homes planned by 41%

96 social rent flats are being constructed as part of the next phase of The Brentford Project

August 3, 2024

The Conservative Group on Hounslow Council has slammed reduced government target for housebuilding in the borough which has been cut by 41%.

Angela Rayner MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government launched Labour’s plans to ‘fix the foundations’ of the housing market with an overhaul of the planning system including a review of the greenbelt to identify ‘grey belt’ land and meet local housing needs, with ‘golden rules’ driving 50% delivery of affordable homes.

As part of this plan the target number of new homes in London was reduced by 20,000 to 80,000, with Hounslow seeing the fourth largest percentage decrease of the 32 London boroughs. Under the old method of calculating the target Hounslow was expected to deliver 3,368 units per annum but this has fallen to 1,991.

The Deputy Prime Minister said, “We will still be asking London to deliver record levels of housebuilding in partnership with Sadiq Khan – but our new targets will ensure the number is based on a more objective assessment of need.”

Conservative Group Leader, Cllr Peter Thompson responded saying, “It beggars belief that the new Labour government has slashed new home targets in our borough at a time when rents are increasingly unaffordable and many can have no hope of ever getting onto the property ladder.

“The housing crisis is acute in our city, and it’s clear that we need to build more good quality, affordable and sustainable new homes. Last week, Hounslow Labour said they wanted to get Britain building - if they really meant that, they should put our borough before the interests of their own party and ask their government to reverse this decision.”

The Conservatives had previously criticised what they described as the hypocrisy of Labour councillors who recently backed a motion on building more houses in the borough having been opponents of developments in their own ward.

A motion proposed by Dan Bowring, Labour Councillor for Syon and Brentford Lock, called on the council to write to the new government to “provide our commitment to the Government’s mandate to get Britain building,” as well as backing the new government’s proposals to reform the planning system and build more homes. The motion also criticised the previous government for a “failure” to back enough new homes.

In response to the motion, Cllr Jack Emsley, Conservative Councillor for Chiswick Homefields, told the council meeting that there was a “frustrating irony that many Labour councillors who voted for this motion this evening have actively campaigned against the new homes that we desperately need to build.”

He also highlighted campaign literature distributed by a number of Labour councillors which had pledged to resist developments in their area.

The opposition refused to back Hounslow Labour motion because it said, “point scoring, hollow words and self-congratulatory letters won’t build the homes we need.” It passed with the unanimous support of Labour councillors.

Speaking after the debate, Cllr Emsley said, “As I stated in the debate, there are some Labour colleagues who I really respect on this issue because they’ll talk about the need for more housing and follow-up by actively supporting new planning proposals. Far too many Labour councillors, though, are content to say one thing in the safety of the council chamber, but do something very different when they are actually confronted with proposals to build new homes. Hounslow Labour’s hypocrisy on house building was laid bare at this council meeting, and it is absolutely staggering.”

Hounslow Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Assets, Regeneration and Development, Cllr Tom Bruce said, “Nothing is too good for families in Hounslow – especially the safety and security of owning your own home.

“After 14 years of failure, the new Labour Government is getting Britain building again – and Hounslow Council will play our part in delivering the homes that local people need.

“Here in Hounslow, we have already delivered a substantial number of high-quality energy efficient new homes this past year and there are a number of housing and regeneration projects in the works to help tackle the Housing Crisis for our residents. This includes projects in the pipeline such as Brentford Waterside (Ballymore) – Block D, with 96 homes for social rent and retail units below; New Road Triangle Site opposite to Feltham Train Station, where will be providing 176 homes, of which 124 will be for social rent; Frank Towell Court Infills, Feltham where the demolition of existing garages will make way for the building of 102 new social rent homes; Rose Gardens, Feltham which comprises 42 homes for social rent; and Burlington Close, Bedfont to provide 61 homes for social rent.

“The last Conservative Government left Britain broke and broken – and now it falls to Labour to fix the foundations and get this country moving again. The work of change has begun – and that means getting serious about building the 1.5 million more homes we need to tackle the worst housing crisis in generations.”