Concerns have been raised that Halstead could receive a sudden surge of homes after new figures suggest the council may have to treble the rate of house building.
According to new housing projections, around 900 new homes per year could be built across the district, which could mean 512 houses built overall in Halstead.
Councillors at Braintree Council are set to make a decision this month on whether to stop processing the current Local Development Framework (LDF), which projects 3,443 homes will be built by 2026 across the district, including 171 in Halstead, and produce a new revised plan.
Recent changes in guidance in the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework and the release of a Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) means population projections are higher than the council originally thought.
The council now faces the need to build up to 883 houses per year, a large hike from the original figure of 272.
See this week's Halstead Gazette for the full story.
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