HASLEMERE MP Jeremy Hunt has called for residents to be given greater say over where new homes are built, after Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced a new target for providing extra housing. Waverley Borough Council could be forced to build an extra 46 new homes each year on top of the average 230 it already has to provide annually, the South West Surrey MP claimed this week. Gordon Brown revealed last week, the annual target for new homes in England would be raised from 200,000 to 240,000 from the year 2016 – a decision which could have a major impact on the towns and villages of South West Surrey. The South East Plan already requires Waverley to build 4,600 new homes between 2006 and 2026, and Gordon Brown's new target could mean an extra 460 on top of that from 2016 onwards. Mr Hunt has always supported measures to build more homes on genuine brownfield land, but maintains necessary infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, roads, public transport, water supplies is essential, and environmental protection, like the Green Belt, must be kept. He is also critical of hikes to stamp duty under Labour, and cuts to the rights of social tenants to buy their home. Across the South East, the average first time buyer pays £1,901 more stamp duty under Labour, while the average home buyer pays £6,940 more. Mr Hunt said: "We do need more homes in South West Surrey – as long as we continue to protect the environment and provide the necessary infrastructure. "But it's local people who should decide where new homes should go, rather than the planning inspectorate in Bristol, or Whitehall bureaucrats. "The Government's top-down approach of forcing high density blocks of flats, closing local hospitals and recklessly building on flood plains threatens to create unsustainable communities that will threaten the character of our area. "Yet tax hikes, especially punitive stamp duty and escalating council tax, have helped kick a whole generation off the housing ladder. "South West Surrey needs to be able to provide housing for young people and key workers, but in a way that protects the special charm of our area and it is vital that local people have a strong voice in influencing planning decisions that affect them." Mr Hunt again raised his fears over housing targets during a lively political debate in Surrey last week, when he was a panellist on BBC Radio 4's 'Any Questions?' programme. The forum for debate between leading public figures was held at Croham Hurst School in Croydon, and was chaired by Jonathan Dimbleby. Mr Hunt was joined on the panel by Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears, Liberal Democrat spokesman on the Cabinet Office, Norman Baker, and writer, broadcaster and commentator David Aaronovitch. Asked by a member of the audience about Gordon Brown's plans to build more houses, Mr Hunt took the opportunity to draw attention to the concerns of people in his constituency. He acknowledged the need for new homes to be built, especially as young people in particular in South West Surrey have difficulty getting onto the housing ladder, but warned that building plans should not be at the expense of the rural environment that gives the area its character. He said: "On the basis of Gordon Brown's statement on Wednesday, it looks like the Government is set on building a hugely increased number of houses. "Much as I am concerned about the impact on our environment – and I represent a very beautiful constituency where very many people have exactly the concerns that you've (the questioner) expressed – I also know that many people in my constituency have children who are finding it very very difficult to get their first foot on the housing ladder, and we have to find a way of striking a balance between the needs of people who need houses and the desire to protect and preserve our lovely environment. "And I think there is a trade-off here, but I think the Government's policy is wrong because it is a top- down policy. "It's a policy that says 'this is the target', we will build 'this number of houses', and what people in my constituency get really angry about is that the decision about how their town or their village is going to look in the end, isn't decided by them, it's not decided by the councillors that they elect – it's decided by some planning inspectorate in Bristol who overturn their decision on appeal or it's decided by the Secretary of State or some other fiat. "I think what we have to do is to trust local people to be able to make that balance, between making sure there are enough houses for people to be able to put their foot on the housing ladder and protecting their natural environment and that's the way forward." Mr Hunt also answered questions on current topics such as; supercasinos, the BBC, Alistair Campbell's diaries, marriage and social breakdown.
