Thousands of New Homes for Tonbridge and Sevenoaks

Tonbridge's target increased from 820 to 1.057 a year

Kent may have to build an extra 5,000 homes per year under proposed new targets.

Last week, Housing Minister Angela Rayner set out changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which governs housebuilding around the country.

This is now subject to a consultation but the proposals have already divided opinion among politicians and the industry.
Elected on a promise to “get Britain building,” the Labour Party had long said they would change planning rules to increase the rate of housebuilding.

The new targets will see many Kent councils compelled to grant permission for many more homes to be built especially in West Kent, nearer to London in areas with more green belt.

The altered planning rules detail changes to the way housing targets for local authorities are calculated.

In draft figures showing housing targets under the new calculations, Kent’s 13 councils will be required to build 13,572 houses per year – up from 12,133 under the previous guidelines.

But the local authorities were already struggling to hit that target with only 8,661 homes built from the 2020/21 financial year until 2022/23.

To hit their target, they’ll need to build an extra 5,000 homes every year.

One area hit particularly hard is Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council which was previously operating to a target of 820 homes per year, and building an average of 446.

However, under the proposed new targets, the authority will be expected to grant permission for 1,057 per year.

“I think it’s naked political opportunism from the Labour government,” said TMBC leader Cllr Matt Boughton (Con).

“How is it that Medway’s target goes down whereas Tonbridge & Malling’s goes up, when we’ve got more protected landscape than Medway do?”

The council is currently working on its Local Plan – the policy which governs house building and planning in the area until 2041.

However, Cllr Boughton fears the new targets will force them to redo months of work on the plan.

“We’re still working through it all, but there’s no doubt in my mind that we’re going to have to go back and redo some work that we’ve already done against the new criteria that the government wishes to set,” he continued.

“I think people in Tonbridge and Malling are saying we’ve done an awful lot in our community to contribute towards the housing needs, where are the government expecting these to go?”

He also slated the government for not committing to extra financial support for councils in delivering extra homes.

“I think it’s outrageous what they’ve done, given that if this was actually about building houses then Medway wouldn’t have a reduced housing target and London wouldn’t have a reduced housing target.”

In Labour-run Medway, Cllr Simon Curry, cabinet member for climate change and strategic regeneration, reiterated the national message in response to the targets.

He said: “After 14 years of national failure from the Conservatives and over two decades of local failure from Medway’s Conservatives to deliver a Local Plan, the new Labour government is getting Britain building again – and Medway Council will play our part in delivering the homes that local people need.

“Here in Medway we are already moving at speed on a renewed push to put in place a Local Plan and will work closely with the government on any changes which may be needed to the process, in order to deliver sustainable development in our community.”

Under the new model, London’s yearly target of 100,000 extra homes is being reduced to 80,000.

Freddie Poser, director of the pro-housebuilding campaign PricedOut, said the higher targets “are a big step in the right direction in many ways, the government continues to show ambition in getting more homes.”

However, he too was critical of the cutting of targets in London, adding: “It’s a shame, to see the London target slashed by 20%, given that is where the housing crisis is worst.

“The result of this is more rural areas will have higher targets than they would otherwise, whilst fewer homes are built in London.”

Many districts in West Kent have high amounts of metropolitan green belt, where new building is extremely difficult under current planning rules.
Sevenoaks district has the most, directly bordering the London Borough of Bromley.

Cllr Julia Thornton (Con), cabinet member for planning at Sevenoaks District Council, said: ”While most of the government’s proposed changes to National Planning Policy Framework are broadly aligned with the approach we are taking in our emerging Local Plan, the significant uplift in new homes will be particularly challenging in our district, which is 93% green belt, the second highest percentage in the country.

“We are digesting the government’s proposals and their impacts. We will respond in detail to the consultation once all the proposals have been given full consideration.”

The council is currently working on its local plan, which proposes 10,680 homes from 2025 to 2040.

That works out to 712 per year, but their new target is 1,113.

Dr Hilary Newport, director of countryside charity CPRE Kent, said: “The new targets are a whopping 36% higher than current delivery rates.
“It’s not planning permission that restrains delivery; it’s the slow build rates that developers deliver to make sure house prices stay high.
“Releasing Green Belt is not the answer to that problem.”

The new targets and method of calculating them are under consultation – with groups like the Home Builders Federation, Royal Town Planning Institute and others allowed to give the government their take.

However, with overall national housing targets set higher, it’s unlikely the picture for Kent needing to build more homes will change.