THE prospect of more than a 100,000 new homes being built in Herts by 2031 is causing the county council a major headache. It has responded to the East of England Regional Assembly s (EERA) consultation on how many homes should be built across the region

THE prospect of more than a 100,000 new homes being built in Herts by 2031 is causing the county council a major headache.

It has responded to the East of England Regional Assembly's (EERA) consultation on how many homes should be built across the region from 2011 to 2031 voicing its concern that it could be between 75,000 and 107,000 new homes.

Over the coming months, EERA will look at the feedback they have received before presenting a draft plan to the Secretary of State next Spring.

Derrick Ashley, the county's executive member for planning, said that a balance needed to be struck between providing the homes needed in Herts, including more affordable homes, and ensuring that communities were created that the county could be proud of at minimum environmental cost.

He went on: "We are strongly of the view that our best chance of achieving that balance is to support only the lower of the growth levels being considered. These figures in themselves would be extremely challenging and would require very major development on greenfield land."

He also mentioned concern about the existing shortfall in infrastructure in Herts and whether if the county got all the additional homes, the infrastructure and services required to support them would be there.