Hull Council Leader Expresses Concern Over Government Housing Target

The head of Hull City Council has indicated that fulfilling the government’s housing objective would present difficulties. In August, the government assigned local authorities across England the task of constructing 371,541 new residences annually. This week, the yearly target was subsequently reduced to 370,408 new homes. Even though Hull’s specific target was decreased from 1,053 to 993, Mike Ross voiced apprehension. He stated: “Achieving the new target… will be a challenge for the city, particularly given Hull’s constrained boundaries and when considering our previous target being just 620.” In an interview with the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Ross highlighted that Hull is “a growing city”. He further noted: “Over the last decade our population has increased by over 12,500, with record numbers of new homes delivered.” Ross commented that government funding to develop brownfield sites would be “vital in helping provide new housing for our city’s residents and supporting economic growth”. Following the announcement of these targets, Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, declared: “Getting Britain building means stripping away unnecessary barriers to growth to deliver the homes that we so desperately need.” She continued: “For years, vital housing and infrastructure projects have been tied up in red tape leaving communities without the homes, infrastructure and jobs they need.” She added: “Our Plan for Change will put an end to the status quo while restoring nature. It’s win-win for development and our environment, including targeted reforms allowing us to use the economic benefits of growth to fund tangible and targeted action for nature’s recovery.”