Derbyshire must build over 4,000 new homes a year

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and deputy leader Angela Rayner during a visit to a housing development in the Nightingale Quarter, Derby

Derby and Derbyshire must build more than 4,000 new homes each year to meet levels of need, according to new government targets.

Updated figures on how many homes each area in England must build have been released by the government, with some areas seeing a surge.

The figure for Derby and Derbyshire has increased by roughly 1,400 extra homes in the new figures.

The Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has made house building a key priority, with a national target of 1.5m new homes in England over the next five years.

The Conservatives have accused the government of "waging war on rural England".

Derby must build the most new homes under the new plans, with a target of just over 900 per year.

However, the city's target has been reduced compared to the previous figures, which would have had the city building more than 1,200 each year.

The city council told the BBC it had "limited" space to build new homes.

"However, we are working with neighbouring authorities to accommodate new housing across Derby and the surrounding areas."

North East Derbyshire and the Derbyshire Dales are the local authority areas who have seen their targets increase the most.

They now stand at 591 homes per year for North East Derbyshire, and 580 for the Derbyshire Dales.

The Conservative group leader of Derbyshire Dales District Council, councillor Sue Hobson, said the numbers were "totally unrealistic".

"The Derbyshire Dales do not need this amount of new housing and our residents will not stand for their villages and towns being overwhelmed."

'Focus on affordable homes'

Amber Valley, whilst facing less of an increase from the summer figures, will be asked to build more homes, at 615.

The authority's Labour leader Chris Emmas-Williams told the BBC the target was "credible".

But he added: "We do need developers to deliver their commitments of affordable housing as approved in the applications the council has received".

The area identified as having the smallest level of need in the county is Bolsover, which the government is asking to build an extra 383 new homes each year.

Bolsover District Council's Labour leader Steve Fritchley echoed concerns from Amber Valley that affordable housing should be a priority.

"We can supply allocations [of land] forever and a day. The problem rests with local authorities being able to build social housing."

Derbyshire County Council has previously called the targets "extremely challenging, if not impossible". The council does not give permission for houses to be built but does have other planning responsibilities.

Councils who have previously raised concerns about higher housing targets point to strains on local infrastructure, land shortages and a lack of capacity in the construction industry as among the constraints.

The government has promised £100m of extra funds for councils and 300 additional planning officers to speed up decision-making.

It said local authorities would have 12 weeks to come up with timetables for new house building plans or risk intervention from ministers.