THE number of new homes in the Winchester district could increase by more than 60 per cent under revised targets set out by the government.

It was announced last week that councils in England would be given mandatory targets to help contribute to the overall number of 370,000 new homes to be built each year.

The new targets are aimed to boost housebuilding in areas most in need.

In the Winchester district, the number of homes needed per year has gone up from 676 to 1,099, an increase of 423, or 62 per cent. 

Winchester City Council's scrutiny committee recently examined the latest draft local plan, which is due to go to consultation in autumn before being submitted to the Planning Inspectorate next year. 

In response to the government's proposals, the city council has moved its two key meetings, cabinet and full council, so a decision can be made more quickly. Both meetings were due in September, but now the cabinet will be held on Monday, August 19 and the full council on Wednesday, August 28.

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Sir John Moore Barracks site (Image: Contributed)

Current major housing sites include Kings Barton, Sir John Moore Barracks and Sun Lane, Alresford. With the increased housing, there will be more pressure for housing in areas such as Pitt and Micheldever Station. 

Cllr Jan Warwick, Conservative representing Badger Farm and Oliver's Battery, said: “I am very concerned that the new government’s announcement will create a last-minute adjustment to Winchester’s housebuilding target, without the necessary infrastructure just as the final draft local plan has been published and local communities have been consulted on where homes should go. The announcement has created uncertainty as Winchester’s housing allocation has been increased by a significant 62 per cent. It puts local greenfield sites such as Bushfield Camp, South Winchester Golf Course and Pitt Vale at risk of imminent development.

“As 40 per cent of Winchester is within the South Downs National Park (where additional housing numbers are restricted), this piles additional pressure for housing targets in the remaining 60 per cent outside the park.

“The Labour government has also announced its intention to focus on building large-scale new communities with its New Towns Taskforce. These are expected to include new communities built on greenfield land, separated from other nearby settlements or as urban extension sites such Micheldever and Royaldown being promoted by developers.”

City council leader Martin Tod said: “We’ve consulted heavily on our new plan.  It’s ready to go. We’ve moved up these meetings to make sure that we put a strong Local Plan in place on a timetable that’s consistent with the Government’s proposed new timings.

"Our proposed plan has a robust, carefully considered set of sites for new housing and the infrastructure to go with them, with policies and design principles that cut carbon, tackle nutrient pollution, ensure brownfield-first development and give us a guaranteed level of social housing. Our priority now is to crack on and get it agreed."

Last week, following the government’s increased housing targets, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner wrote to every council leader and chief executive in England, stating that there is “not just a professional responsibility to but a moral obligation to see more homes built,” across the country.