CONCERNS have been raised about 'top-down' government plans which could mean thousands of new homes are built in and around Ledbury. 

Sir Keir Starmer's Labour government has proposed requiring local authorities to approve more building plans on their patch, by changing the way its target figure for each is set and penalising those that fall short.

This means Herefordshire could get 27,500 new homes in the next 20 years as part of the government's pledge of 1.5million new homes in the current parliament. 

But Ledbury South Cllr Stef Simmons has raised concerns about the government's plans to shake up the planning system, with her biggest worries including the lack of thought about the vital need for nature recovery. 

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Housing developments in Ledbury under the draft local plan, which will 
set out the planning framework for the county for the period to 2041, 
have already caused alarm among residents, with 1,700 homes planned.

Under the government's new plans, Herefordshire would see one of the steepest rises in housing targets in the country, from the current 773 new homes a year over a 20-year plan period to 1,375 a year.

This would mean over 20 years, the county will have 12,040 more homes built than was originally expected. 

Cllr Simmons told the Reporter: "The government’s plans for top-down targets fail to recognise lower local population growth demand, the need for agricultural land to produce food and the vital need for nature recovery and protection of our nationally valued landscape and rivers. 

"Development of this scale will require significant infrastructure investment which is not deliverable purely from developer contributions. 

"It remains to be seen how the targets for growth can be squared with environmental legislation given we committed to not reducing environmental protections."

Cllr Simmons added she had not yet spoken to Herefordshire's strategic planner for further information. 

She is one of several Herefordshire councillors to attack the plans.  

Herefordshire Council is preparing a response to the government's consultation on the planning changes.

A spokesperson for the authority said: “The council’s recent draft local plan consultation set out a target for 16,100 homes over the plan period, so this is a significant proposed increase.”