NORTH Somerset Council has said it will have to find new sites to build homes in order to meet government targets. 

The council said increased targets for housebuilding set by the government have resulted in a need for 23,805 new homes over the next 15 years across the region.  

This means it will have to find sites for an extra 8,530 homes over that period. 

In order to carry out this project, North Somerset Council also stressed the need for more infrastructure.  

“As a council, we support the government’s commitment to growth and meeting the housing need of our communities, however new development also needs to be supported by the infrastructure that communities want and need to flourish,” a council spokesperson said.  

“We’re lobbying for investment from central government to support growth across North Somerset.” 

READ MORE: Efforts to tackle Weston ‘poor’ water quality ‘reached new levels’

Targets for housebuilding are now set by central government after Housing Secretary Angela Rayner announced plans to overhaul Britain’s planning system in a bid to deliver Labour's promise of 1.5m new homes by 2029.   

Councils across the country have to incorporate those targets into their plans, something the previous Conservative government moved away from. 

The changes will mean councils overall will now have to plan for around 370,000 homes annually, instead of the current 305,000.   

But the targets have been criticised by local authorities, including Somerset Council, who say they are unrealistic and not based on evidence.  

Housebuilding is at the heart of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s plans to kickstart economic growth - one of his five core missions for government.    

While North Somerset Council said it supports the government's push for more housing and will update its Local Plan accordingly, it has also stressed the need to find viable locations for these houses to be built on.  

A North Somerset Council spokesperson said: “The government’s new higher housing target for North Somerset is 23,805 new homes over 15 years, which means we have to find sites for an extra 8,530 homes over the plan period.   

“On Wednesday (4 December), North Somerset Council’s Executive will discuss approving a public consultation on potential additional locations for development to address the government’s new higher housing target for North Somerset.”