Herefordshire Council’s bid to persuade central government to accept a lower housing requirement appears to have run into a significant obstacle after officers reported a very large response to a recent "call for sites".
Background to the dispute
Under changes to the way housing targets are calculated, the county now faces a requirement to plan for 27,260 new homes by 2045 – a figure officers note is almost equal to the county’s current number of households in Hereford.
Last year councillors supported a motion from Independents for Herefordshire leader Councillor Liz Harvey asking officers and the Cabinet to seek a reduced requirement from the Government "on the basis of local constraints on land and on delivery". That request was prompted by concerns about the county’s infrastructure and ability to accommodate large-scale growth.
Call for sites yields far more land than expected
However, officers now say the council’s recent call for sites to landowners and developers attracted submissions covering 4,231 hectares. They estimate that, if developed, the land could potentially provide approximately 148,085 homes – more than five times the Government-set target for the county.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Homes required by 2045 | 27,260 |
| Land submitted (hectares) | 4,231 ha |
| Potential homes from submissions | 148,085 |
Officers said the scale of the response meant it was "no longer possible to counter housing requirements on the basis of local land constraints", warning that attempting to do so could render the Local Plan unsound.
"Due to the scale of this response it is no longer possible to counter housing requirements on the basis of local land constraints, and such an attempt would render the Local Plan unsound,"
Infrastructure and delivery remain concerns
The report does not dismiss delivery issues. Officers acknowledge continuing constraints, chiefly relating to road infrastructure, which could limit the practical ability to build at the scale suggested by the land submissions.
They also noted the potential role of planned transport schemes, saying the provision of a bypass would address some constraints and help the council produce a more robust Local Plan. The document states the council will redraft the plan having considered the sites put forward.
- Council motion sought reduced housing requirement citing local delivery constraints.
- Call for sites returned 4,231 hectares, potentially yielding 148,085 homes.
- Officers warn the land evidence removes the argument that local land shortage justifies a lower target.
The officers’ update follows a period of heightened debate over future housing locations, with proposals and objections being discussed across the county, including concerns around water supply, traffic and the character of villages. The council faces the complex task of reconciling the scale of potential land with the realities of infrastructure, environmental limits and local preferences.
Members will now consider officers’ findings as they proceed to redraft the Local Plan. Any changes will be subject to statutory processes including consultation and, potentially, examination in public where an inspector will assess whether the plan is sound.
Letters to the editor and other public responses remain invited by the paper for those wishing to express their views on development in the county.
(George Wright, InfoRadar, Herefordshire)
