Northampton Housing Figures don't Make Sense says Lib Dem

9.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 26th Sep 2008

Government plans for 7,250 new houses being built in Northampton by 2011 are 'unrealistic' and 'unachievable' claims Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Northampton North, Cllr Andrew Simpson.

The Borough Council's Cabinet is due to consider a report at its meeting on 26th September that confirms the East Midlands Regional Plan and the number of houses to be built in Northampton area up to 2026. This includes a target for the current period from 2006 to 2011 of 7,250 houses. Overall there is only a minor change to figures issued by the Government in 2005.

"The Government is failing to recognise the impact of the current credit crunch and the slow down in the housing market on Northampton. It is simply not living in the real world to believe that 7,250 houses will be built by 2011 we are already half way there and nothing like that number has been achieved". said Andrew Simpson "The Borough Council needs to question these figures and suggest to the Government it takes a more realistic approach that reflects current economic reality. It will simply not be possible to achieve the target they have set".

Andrew Simpson will be requesting that the Council informs the Government that the house building figure is unachievable and should be revised at the Cabinet meeting on 26th September.

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Notes to Editors

For details of the report please see: http://www.northamptonboroughcouncil.com/councillors/Published/C00000528/M00005961/AI00026277/$cabreport26sept08item9.docA.ps.pdf