CONCERN has been expressed by the region’s council leaders over unrealistic housebuilding targets set by Government.

A Housing White Paper due to be published later this month is expected to force councils to increase the number of homes required in their Local Plans.

The Local Plans set out where new houses and amenities will be built in each council area in the coming years to accommodate growing populations.

However, many local authorities are already struggling to fulfil housing quotas and the Local Government Association’s housing spokesman, Councillor Martin Tett, explained: “If you get into a situation with central government effectively imposing top-down targets, you are back to a situation where local communities will really resent these housing numbers.

“It’s open season for virtually any speculative housebuilder in the country to come in and stick in planning applications which are very difficult to refuse.

“Local people are up in arms.

“They are not getting any infrastructure or any kind of gain from these developments and they see themselves as besieged by builders.”

Mark Robson, Hambleton District Council leader said increased targets would put more pressure on local authorities.

He said: “We recognise that we need to build houses, there is a demand for more houses, however I am sure that I don’t just speak for Hambleton when I say that we are going to struggle to meet increased targets or get anywhere close to them.”

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council is currently consulting on its Draft Local Plan and its leader Cllr Bob Cook, said there is “major cause for concern” over housing targets.

He said: “We have consistently voiced our dismay at the situation, which is aggravated by an appeals process that favours developers when councils cannot meet the unrealistic targets set.

“This has seen the government rule in favour of a number of developments rejected by our planning committee despite strong local opposition, as we’ve recently seen in Ingleby Barwick.”

Middleton St George in Darlington is another area that residents feel has been disproportionately targeted by housebuilders, with large-scale developments being approved despite fierce opposition.

However, Darlington Council’s cabinet member for economy and regeneration, Cllr Chris McEwan, said the government’s intention to revisit the national planning policies should not hugely affect the borough.

He said: “Darlington is currently working on a target of 10,000 dwellings over the next 20 years and the Local Pan submission can be adjusted accordingly to reflect emerging national planning policy should that be needed.”

Durham County Council has paused its housing plan to await the outcome of the White Paper.