Mebyon Kernow has hit out at the decision of the UK Government to impose a mandatory housing target of 4,421 units per annum on Cornwall.

This is nearly 70% up on the present Local Plan target of 2,625. It is also roughly the same as the figure in the consultation document [4,454], showing that representations from Cornwall for a lower number have been ignored.

MK councillor Andrew Long has described the new target as “both unsustainable and unachievable.”

He added that “it will allow central government to deem existing ‘local’ policies to be out-of-date, and given much less weight when planning applications are being assessed.

“The Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister claim this will deal with the ongoing housing crisis. But simply building more and more properties – most of which will be expensive open-market units – will not deal with the dysfunctional housing market that is doing such damage across our communities.

“The top-down target and related changes will make it near-impossible to stop inappropriate developments going forward, while further destroying what makes Cornwall special.”

The announcement about mandatory housing targets came on the same day that the UK Government published its revised National Planning Policy Framework. Also this week, a consultation document was launched by central government to make it harder for councillors to oppose planning applications.

That document notes that 96% of decisions are made by planning officers through various schemes of delegation, but still wants to make it harder for councillors to be stand up for their local communities. They seek a “national scheme of delegation” to restrict the powers of councillors and planning authorities, while suggested that there should be “planning committees for strategic developments” made up of only three-five “knowledgeable” councillors – who will presumably need to be compliant and do what they are told.

Cllr Long said: “Giving more authority to planning officers, while reducing the ability of councillors to represent the views of their communities is a shameful assault on democracy, which we must do our utmost to challenge and oppose.”