Government Refuses to Reconsider Cotswold Housing Target
Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook has rejected the Council's request to rethink the district's housing target, despite three letters from Council leader Mike Evemy highlighting local constraints.
Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook has formally refused to reconsider the housing target for Cotswold District, despite repeated requests from Council leader Mike Evemy.
What happened
The Council wrote three letters to government ministers asking them to rethink the housing requirement for the district. The letters presented dozens of community comments highlighting local concerns and constraints specific to a rural, environmentally sensitive area.
In his response on 14 April 2026, Pennycook maintained that the revised standard method will determine housing targets and that constraints must be evidenced through the Local Plan process itself.
The numbers
The government’s standard method requires the district to plan for 18,650 new homes over 18 years - approximately 1,036 homes per year. This is more than double the previous target of 493 homes per year, set just 18 months earlier.
The Council has argued that this is unrealistic given that more than 80% of the district falls within the Cotswolds National Landscape, which has strong protections under national planning policy.
What this means
The government’s position is clear: the target stands. The Council must now demonstrate through its Local Plan evidence base why it cannot meet the full target, rather than seeking an exemption upfront.
This places even greater importance on the quality of the Council’s evidence on constraints - infrastructure capacity, landscape sensitivity, site deliverability - and on the strength of community responses at the Regulation 19 stage.
The Reg 19 consultation is expected to begin in the week of 24 August 2026, subject to Full Council approval on 12 August.