North Herts Council Leader Daniel Allen has backed the government's announcement on Tuesday (30 July) that it will bring back local housing targets.

Deputy PM Angela Rayner said this week the country is in a "housing crisis" and said not enough homes - especially affordable ones - are being built.

Following the announcement Cllr Allen agreed housebuilding needs to be stimulated nationally and locally - but said local authorities need the power to "resist developer-led proposals" so that "suitable sustainable homes are built in the right places".

"Letchworth Garden City, where our main council offices are based, is a fantastic example of how to develop, providing homes alongside places to work and play, not creating dormitories to commute into London from," he said.

"Building affordable housing in the right places is what we need to relieve the housing crisis.

"North Herts Council will be helping with this but in a sustainable, infrastructure-led way with housing that works for our residents first.

"Mandatory targets must go hand in hand with infrastructure improvements.

"As a green belt authority we need to make sure we have the right housing mix - both numbers and quality - in the right places.

"North Herts has high land values so we must make sure developers deliver high quality genuinely affordable housing. Labour's announcement shows the party won't duck difficult decisions and neither will North Herts Council."