Labour’s Leader of Hertsmere Borough Council (HBC), Cllr Jeremy Newmark is pledging that Hertsmere will join the national mission to get Britain building again.

Yesterday, Deputy PM Angela Rayner launched plans to fix the foundations with an overhaul of the planning system including a review of the greenbelt to identify ‘grey belt’ land and meet local housing needs, with ‘golden rules’ driving 50% delivery of affordable homes.  This reflects the principles that already underpin the Draft Local Plan that Hertsmere’s partnership administration put out to consultation earlier this year.

Labour will deliver 1.5 million more homes across Britain to tackle a housing crisis that has dragged on for far too long, locking far too many out of the good homes they deserve.

HBC has already published a Draft Local Plan featuring many of the new requirements, balancing new housing and infrastructure with environmental protection to deliver a sustainable future.

Cllr Newmark said,

“Nothing is too good for families in Hertsmere – especially the safety and security of owning your own home or being able to rent a decent home at a genuinely affordable price.”

“After 14 years of failure, the new Labour Government is getting Britain building again – and Hertsmere will play our part in delivering the homes that local people need.”

“Here in Hertsmere we are ahead of the game.  We have already consulted local people on a Draft Local Plan pioneering the very same principles that Angela Rayner has outlined.”

“Hertsmere needs homes for our children and grandchildren.  We will not shy away from the challenge of delivering those homes whilst protecting as much of our green belt as possible using Angela Rayner’s ‘golden rules’.  We reject the narrow, short-sighted view of MP Oliver Dowden and local Conservatives who present this as a binary choice.  Here in Hertsmere, we are pioneers, not pessimists.”

“The last Conservative Government left Britain broke and broken – and now it falls to Labour to fix the foundations and get this country moving again. The work of change has begun – and that means getting serious about building the 1.5 million more homes we need to tackle the worst housing crisis in generations.”

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said:

“Today marks a significant step to getting Britain building again.

 “Our decisive reforms to the planning system correct the errors of the past and set us on our way to tackling the housing crisis, delivering 1.5 million homes for those who really need them.