Lib Dems launch challenge against government’s hiked up housing targets

Liberal Democrat leader of St Albans District Council, Paul de Kort, has set out his intention to challenge the government on their “unreasonable” uplift in housing targets which could overwhelm local transport infrastructure.

Whilst the Liberal Democrats have succeeded in adopting a 2026 Local Plan that meets the government’s requirement to accommodate 15,000 homes, new government housing targets now demand a further 9,000 homes to be included in the new 2029 Local Plan which must be completed within the next two years.

However, the Liberal Democrats are clear that meeting this target could have disastrous impacts for our local area, by failing to account for capacity constraints in local infrastructure, including on local roads and on the Thameslink rail line.

The planned expansion of Luton Airport and the associated Universal theme park, the Strategic Rail Freight Interchange in Park Street, the existing St Albans district Local Plan demand for 15,000 new homes, the new top-down demand for a further 9,000 homes, and the Bowman’s Cross proposal by neighbouring Hertsmere council for thousands of homes near London Colney, will all mount further pressure on Thameslink services - which is already set to breach capacity within the next five years. All trunk and local roads face the same intense pressure.

Councillor Paul de Kort, Leader of St Albans District Council, said:

“These uplifted housing targets are completely unreasonable and I’m determined to challenge them. 

“With local infrastructure already creaking under the strain of new transport needs, adding yet more new housing to this could have disastrous effects. Shockingly, the government doesn’t seem to have factored this into these new targets at all.

“I hope all local political parties will join me in challenging these hoiked up housing targets from the Labour government which, just like the Conservatives before them, completely disregard the needs of our local area.”