BROMSGROVE District Council failed to match its home-building target set by the Government last year, figures reveal.
The council – which is querying the figures with the government – is said to have built just 38% of the homes it was required to in 2018-19, according to figures from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
It was one of about 40% of local authorities in England not to achieve its aim, leaving almost 36,000 houses unbuilt nationwide as a result.
The annual Housing Delivery Test shows Bromsgrove District Council delivered 206 homes last year, from a target of 547. It also shows that the council has only met its requirements once since 2016-17.
As a result, Bromsgrove District Council, along with 72 others, has been told it must revisit its local plan and outline 20% more land for development than before.
A further eight local authorities, which achieved fewer than 45% of their target, will have their planning powers curbed and have to put national planning rules first.
Neighbouring Redditch, by comparison, has built almost 1,000 homes in the last three years – despite being set a target of just two.
Bromsgrove DC head of planning Ruth Bamford said: “The council has questioned the methodology behind these numbers with government, until satisfactory clarification is provided we remain unwilling to recognise them.
“Meanwhile and as per our local plan, land for the delivery of new homes is identified and planning applications are progressing through the planning process.”
Polly Neate, chief executive of homelessness charity Shelter, defended under-fire councils.
She said: “Slapping unachievable housebuilding targets on over-stretched councils and then penalising them when they can’t fulfil them is not the answer to ending the housing emergency.”
