Minister tells council to 'get on' with homes plan

The government has ordered North East Lincolnshire Council to submit its Local Plan by 31 December as scheduled - just a day after councillors voted not to go ahead with it.

The Local Plan, which sets out how the area will develop up to 2032, has met some opposition after the government set an increased target of 621 homes to be built each year across North East Lincolnshire.

On Thursday last week the Reform UK-led council voted not to take the draft Local Plan forward to the Regulation 19 consultation stage.

However, Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook intervened on Friday and directed the council to progress the plan, saying it was "the cornerstone of our planning system".

In a letter to council leader Oliver Freeston, Pennycook said: "As you know, considerable time, effort and investment has gone into the preparation of this emerging Plan.

"The decision not to progress it would not only see that time, effort and investment wasted, but would create further uncertainty and leave the council exposed to ongoing speculative development as a result of not having an up-to date plan."

Opponents are particularly concerned about the environmental impact of some proposed development sites, including Grimsby West and land near Weelsby Woods.

Independent councillor Lyndsey Downes said: "Freshney Valley [in Grimsby West] is one of the most controversial parts of this plan. Once green space is gone, it's gone forever.

"Residents expect us to exhaust every brownfield opportunity before we start building on open land."

However, the council's Conservative group voted for the draft local plan, arguing that rejecting it risked weakening local control over housing development.

Leader of the group Councillor Philip Jackson said: "The decision not to progress with the update of the current Local Plan means that we will have to start again with a new plan.

"That will be expensive and time consuming, taking around three years."

He disputed suggestions that by rejecting it the council would block the proposed 3,500-home Freshney Valley development and the building of 1,500 homes near Grimsby's Weelsby Woods.

The Independent group has asked for that project to be removed from the Local Plan.

In a statement they said: "The group supports having an up-to-date Local Plan and is not opposed to growth, but wants housing assumptions reviewed and major greenfield allocations reconsidered."

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government said: "All areas, including North East Lincolnshire, must play their part to build the homes we need and we will not hesitate to step in if councils are not getting on with the job to have an up-to-date plan in place.

"That's why we've instructed North East Lincolnshire Council to progress their draft Local Plan at pace, ensuring they remain on track to submit for examination by the end of this year."

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