SWINDON is in the spotlight because not enough houses have been built in the borough in recent years.

That was the claim from cabinet member for strategic infrastructure, planning and transport councillor Gary Sumner when he made a report to the scrutiny committee this week.

He said the government is "watching" the town over its housebuilding figures but added the council still has the ability to control development.

Asked by committee vice-chairman Steve Weisinger when the authority would have its three and five-year housing supply allocation of land ready, Coun Sumner said the latter would be allocated as soon as the new draft Local Plan is approved.

He hopes to be able to submit that to the government in autumn this tear.

Having land allocated to be able to fulfil the number of homes the government tells Swindon it needs over the next five years is important. Without it, developers who have plans refused are much more likely to win on appeal under current law.

Councils without an allocation sorted have been known to approve developments they don’t like in a bid to save time and costs, knowing they would lose at appeal.

Council planning policy manager Phil Smith said: “The five-year supply allocation is in the Local Plan when that is approved.

“On the three-year allocation, I’m going through the new figures we got from government in December and it’s going to be close. I can’t say whether we’ll meet it, but it will be close to it.”

Committee chairman Jim Robbins quizzed Coun Sumner about a report on trade website Planning Resource saying only 88 per cent of the houses needed have been delivered and the council will be required by government to come up with a housing delivery action plan.

Coun Sumner said he was aware of the article but added: “It’s not likely we’ll have to come up with a plan, but we are being watched by government.”

He said delays in houses being built included difficulties around infrastructure and lockdown.

Pressed by Coun Robbins on why the council is “so bad at delivering homes against our local plan”, Coun Sumner said: “Viability was something we hadn’t taken as much account of as we should have.”

The draft local plan allocates space for 20,450 new homes in the borough until 2026.

Two of its more controversial allocations include 600 homes in Wroughton and several hundred in Blunsdon because there is already sufficient infrastructure like roads and school to support them.

After public consultation, the plan is being reworked. It will go for consultation again in the summer before submission in autumn.