Council confusion over housing targets – why must Hemel Hospital close?
- Does Dacorum Council really need to demolish Hemel Hospital to make way for more housing?
- The Council claims 450 homes should be built on the site, as part of an effort across the Borough to meet Government housebuilding targets
- But, in a scathing report on Council planning, official inspectors have demanded the Council explain its figures on the numbers of homes needed across the Borough
- In particular they attack the Council for failing to provide ‘clear and consolidated evidence which sets out the reasons and the judgements that have resulted in the [housing] site allocations contained in the submitted Local Plan.’
- The inspectors say it is ‘unclear … what processes the Council followed to decide which sites should be allocated [for housing] and the reasons why.’
- Dacorum’s confusion over housing sites raises an awkward question for the Council:
- WHY SHOULD ANYONE LISTEN TO YOU WHEN YOU CLAIM THE HOSPITAL SHOULD GO TO MAKE WAY FOR MORE FLATS AND HOUSES?
- The Inspectors’ letter is below:
- Local Plan Inspectorate’s First Response