An area of Guildford borough where there are plans for more than 1,700 homes is one of six sites in England being targeted by the Government in a push to get construction moving faster.
Wisley Airfield near Guildford is one of the areas highlighted in the The New Homes Accelerator, a specialist programme established by the Government last year with the aim of unblocking delays that are impacting large developments.
According to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Accelerator has already helped speed things up on the Wisley site by facilitating quick responses from statutory consultees, providing strategic support to the local planning authority, getting spades in the ground and beginning work on the necessary infrastructure.
Plans have been accepted to develop more than 1,700 homes on the former airfield despite concerns from the local community.
40 per cent of the homes are set to be earmarked as affordable, and there will also be shops, sports and social facilities, as well as a school surrounded by a large public park.
As a whole the Government hopes that these six new priority sites will help unlock 12,000 homes. The other areas are spread across the country in Somerset, Wigan, Aylesbury and a couple in London.
Government data shows that the New Homes Accelerator initiative has sped up the of the construction of 100,000 homes across England within its first year.
Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner said: “We’ve rolled up our sleeves and are breaking down the barriers which stop us from building the houses to buy and rent that families and young people need, helping to speed up the delivery of tens of thousands of new homes already.
“We are continuing to take decisive action through our New Homes Accelerator to speed up the delivery of homes, meet our stretching 1.5 million homes target through the Plan for Change, and get spades in the ground to turn the tide on the housing crisis.”
