The local battles behind Tory housing divisions

The government has agreed to water down housing targets for local councils in the face of a rebellion from nearly 60 of its own MPs. But not everyone is happy - some Tories are worried this could lead to fewer homes being built and make it even harder for people to get on the housing ladder. At a local level, new developments provoke passionate views on both sides.

"Unless I'm prepared to move 100 miles north of here then it's really unlikely I'll be able to get on the housing ladder," says Sheldon Allen.

The 21-year-old, who is president of Reading University's Students' Union and a Labour activist, is currently renting a room in the town centre for £625 a month.

With bills to pay on top of that he says "it's a real struggle to make ends meet".

Sheldon thinks building more homes would help bring down the cost of renting and buying.

"Ultimately I don't think we have enough new, purpose-built homes for people in my situation and others like me," he says.

But in the nearby borough of Wokingham in Berkshire, some locals are angry about the idea of more homes being built in the area.

"I'm not against houses per se. We've had a lot of housing development in this area," says Paul Stevens. "We feel we've done our bit."

Paul started a campaign group against plans to build up to 4,500 new homes on an area of land just south of Reading.

The group argues the area lacks the infrastructure needed for a major housing development and risks causing flooding and traffic problems.

"We're potentially tearing up valuable farmland and growth space to fill it with concrete," says Andy Bailey, another member of the group. "It's sacrilege - this should simply not be happening."

The University of Reading, which is one of the owners of the land, says: "We believe we've put forward a good plan that would provide homes, community facilities, and jobs in creative, heritage and high-tech sectors."

However, a spokesman adds: "We recognise this is a difficult balancing act, and we welcome discussion about what's best for everyone."

A spokeswoman for Wokingham Borough Council says draft development plans were prepared by the previous Conservative administration and the council is gathering evidence before setting out the next stages, with no decisions made yet.

Paul does not dispute that there needs to be more affordable housing for young people but says the homes being built in the area are too expensive to solve the problem.

"My son couldn't afford to live around here. He couldn't afford to buy anywhere," he says.

"These houses are not being built for young people, they're being built for old people who are escaping London."

Wokingham's Conservative MP John Redwood was among nearly 60 Tories backing a plan to ban mandatory housebuilding targets in England.

The rebels say targets are undermining local decision-making and mean homes aren't built in the right places.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove has now offered councils more flexibility over meeting the government-set targets to "reflect local circumstances".

He told MPs the targets should be "an advisory starting point" rather than mandatory.

The rebels have welcomed the change in position, with Mr Redwood saying it will give councils and local communities a role in deciding what is "sustainable and appropriate".

But other Tories have argued weakening targets would mean fewer houses are built, which they say would be politically damaging for the party.

The government says it's still committed to the national target, set out in the 2019 Conservative manifesto, to build 300,000 homes a year in England by the mid-2020s.

However, it's on track to miss that target, with the figure remaining below 250,000 in recent years.

Clive Jones, the Liberal Democrat leader of Wokingham Borough Council, says he is "cautiously optimistic" above the government's agreement with the rebels but "the devil is always in the detail".

He is hopeful the change will mean local people can decide the level of housing they want in their area.

Under the current government-calculated targets, Wokingham needs to build around 800 new homes a year up to 2036.

Mr Jones says this is too many.

"We have provided 40,000 new homes in the last 40 years and most people will say that is too much. Enough is enough," he says.

"A lot of people have moved here in the last 40 years. They moved here because they like to be in a semi-rural area because that is what Wokingham is.

"It's changing and it's changing too fast for lots of people. It's becoming like a suburb of south London… and that is not what people want."

The Lib Dems now run the council in coalition with Labour and Independent councillors.

Mr Jones says overdevelopment was one of the big issues which contributed to May's local election result.

He is standing as the Lib Dem candidate for Wokingham in the next general election, which is due in two years' time.

Mr Jones believes if the current level of development in Wokingham continues it will be a close fight between the Lib Dems and Conservatives, who currently hold the seat with a majority of 7,383.

"It won't just be housing - it will be the cost-of living-crisis, it will be the crisis in social care," he says.

"All of those things coming together are going to make it very difficult for the Conservatives to hold on to this part of Berkshire."

Even if local targets are made more flexible, Mr Jones says it won't affect developments which have already been approved.

"[The Conservatives] have forced all of this housing on us over the past 10 years. We have got loads of outstanding planning permissions which will then be built out so there isn't going to suddenly be no more building here."

Video editing by Morgan Spence