Talking Politics column with Coun Adam Wilkinson: We need ambition to tackle Calderdale's housing crisis

We need affordable homes, family housing and suitable accommodation for older people. We must also protect our countryside. Those aims are compatible, but require ambition and a credible plan. Andy Burnham has promised the biggest council house building programme since the post-war era, putting councils back at the centre of delivering homes, making better use of public land and rebuilding the supply of affordable housing. That is an ambition we should welcome. Calderdale should explore how to benefit, rather than treating housebuilding simply as a planning problem. Our Local Plan sets out how many homes are needed and where they should go, while protecting more than 99 per cent of the borough’s green belt. Adopted after consultation and independent examination, it is due for review in 2027, when housing need, infrastructure and the types of homes required should be reassessed. But it must be evidence-led. Sites cannot simply be removed by political decree: the council must show enough suitable land remains available to meet housing needs. Population projections have changed and should be considered. But housing need is not determined by population growth alone. It also reflects household formation, affordability and the local economy. Each planning application must be judged on its individual merits. But opposing development without setting out credible alternatives will not address Calderdale's housing needs. Removing allocations or refusing permissions without good reason could leave Calderdale with less control over development. If the council cannot show it has enough designated land or meet its housing obligations, the government may intervene and decisions would then be taken elsewhere. There are financial consequences too. Developers can appeal if applications are not determined within statutory or agreed timescales, taking decisions out of the council’s hands and creating legal and appeal costs for taxpayers. We need sound, sensible and timely decisions, not avoidable and costly delays. The questions are straightforward: how many homes do we need, what mix of affordable, social rent and family housing should we build, and what infrastructure is required? The 2027 review is the right opportunity to answer those questions. We should attract investment, build more council and affordable homes, and ensure development is supported by the roads, schools and health services communities need. Protecting our countryside matters. So does helping young people stay locally, families find suitable homes and older residents downsize. Building fewer homes will not solve the housing crisis. It will make it harder for local families and pensioners to find the homes they need.