Public opposition one of the main barriers to housing development say local councillors

According to a recent Local Government Association (LGA) survey, 59% of councillors who responded to the LGA's 2012 'New Housing Developments' survey said that local opposition was one of the biggest barriers to housing development. This is slightly below the 61% who gave that response in the same survey in 2010.

The percentage of respondents who felt that local residents were generally opposed to housing development in their local area fell to 12% if development came with appropriate infrastructure.

"It is widely recognised by all that we desperately need new homes and at the moment, there simply aren't enough being built," said Keith House, deputy chairman of the LGA's Environment Board. "Our survey shows that one of the biggest obstacles to new housing being built is public opposition. People don't dispute the desperate need for new housing. But quite understandably they just don't want a new housing estate down the road if it is going to lead to congested roads and crowded classrooms."

"Councillors have to balance the interests of their residents with the wider needs of the area. The current economic crisis means that new development is scarce and councils are doing what they can to encourage growth in their areas," said House. "This includes providing land and assets, overwhelmingly saying 'yes' through the planning process and, where appropriate, renegotiating Section 106 agreements."

The survey also revealed that 49% of respondents highlighted developers' financial position as one of the main barriers to housing development. 58% were supportive of new development in their ward area and 84% thought that their council area as a whole was in need of new housing.

In a sign of the current economic climate 57% of the councillors who responded said that their council had worked in partnership with developers to increase the supply of housing and 41% had renegotiated or phased section 106 agreement obligations.

The survey was conducted between February and March 2012 and was sent to a random sample of one in four councillors in England and Wales.