Concern at number of new houses

SUFFOLK County Council chiefs are expected to respond to government calls for extra housing for the future by recommending the lowest possible levels for the county.

SUFFOLK County Council chiefs are expected to respond to government calls for extra housing for the future by recommending the lowest possible levels for the county.

Councils across Suffolk voiced their concerns after the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) asked them to consider higher levels of housing provision in the future.

This led the county council to carry out a review, in consultation with the district and borough councils, to consider how many homes the county could accommodate.

Suffolk has been asked to consider a range of additional housing provision, from 2007 to 2031, of between 77,000 and 113,000 homes. This compares with 61,700 set out for 2001-21 in the current strategy.

Leader of Suffolk County Council Jeremy Pembroke said: “I have discussed these figures with the leaders of all the district and borough councils in Suffolk. We all take the view that the capacity of Suffolk's infrastructure, our environment and our economy must limit housing growth. For these reasons the report that will be discussed at Suffolk County Council's cabinet's next meeting on January 13 recommends the lower levels.”

He added that many councils had expressed their concerns to EERA about the compressed timetable adopted for the review of the East of England Plan. His council would continue to defend Suffolk's position.