A PETITION has been set up by a local resident in a bid to force a parliament debate on the issue.
Colin George, a Wokingham town councillor but acting in a personal capacity, is asking for e-signatures to the document, which went live last week.
Entitled “Prevent developers & land speculators from ‘gaming the system’ in UK housing”, it seeks to encourage parliament to change the way in which it tackles housing decisions.
It reads: “Change the five year land supply to develop the right number of houses in the right places in accordance with a sustainable, relevant and up-to-date Local Plan.
“Introduce a local measure of pipeline & delivery of homes to ensure that non-performing developers or land speculators can be identified.”
READ MORE: Call for Prime Minister to act over Wokingham building problems
And it aims to put councils in the driving seat: “Where an LPA can openly show a supply of undelivered housing or land that exceeds a six-year horizon to cover local population growth, there shall be no rights of appeal on the basis of land supply.”
It adds: “Where new homes aren’t registered with the LPA at a rate in accordance with plans set out and agreed with that LPA, then DCLG shall have the right to declare the developers / land speculators as non-performing.”
The aim of the petition is to strengthen local authorities powers so that the planning committees say is final.
The petition needs 10,000 signatures and in the few days it has been live, it has attracted almost 350 names.
To lend your support to the petition, log on to https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/212794
