CIVIC chiefs have confirmed that the government's new housing targets will not impact the district's local plan.

The new Labour government has brought in a raft of planning changes including a mandatory 1.5m housing target, review of previously turned down applications and planning policy reform.

The Chronicle recently reported the developers of proposed-Micheldever New Town welcoming the Labour government's comments about changes to planning policy.

At the full meeting of Winchester City Council on Tuesday, July 16, Cllr Jan Warwick, senior Conservative member, asked if these changes would impact large housing site allocations across Winchester in the emerging local plan. 

READ MORE HERE: Labour Government sparks new concerns over  new town at Micheldever

Cllr Jackie Porter, cabinet member for place and local plan, said: “Based on what we know so far, we don't think it will have any impact on the allocations in our local plan. We have never shirked from our housing targets. Despite the talk of targets becoming optional, we have always worked within the government's standard formula. 

“The greatest risk for us is not having a local plan. With a move to mandatory targets, we can show a five-year housing supply and set out the areas that can be developed to deliver the housing number required and that includes large sites.

“Within this, a number of larger sites are already identified and our local plan remains on target to be delivered for inspection before the beginning of June next year.”