Issue - meetings

The report provided a summary of house building monitoring information to the year ending 31 March 2024. The report confirms that, looking forward, the authority has a 4.15 years Housing Land Supply as detailed in table 3 in the report and emphasised the need to bolster our housing land supply to reach a 5 year housing land supply at the point of the Local Plan adoption.

Discussion included:

·       A concern was raised about the future projections for the district and how could the council improve on this.  The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management advised the housing land supply figure could only be improved by granting consents of planning applications.  In response to a follow up question about how many planning applications were currently outstanding and how long do the applications take.  Committee were advised that there were not many outstanding applications for major new housing developments with an explanation to various reasons why some applications were delayed including Section 106 Agreements and legal issues.

·       It was suggested that a shorter time limit than 3 years for permissions should be implemented to encourage housing to come forward quicker.  In response the Committee were advised that although the council did have the freedom under legislation to do this, there was a need to weigh up the incentive against the consequences of running out of time.   The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management advised this could be considered on an application by application basis but that it might be better to get the developers commitment of their intended trajectory for the delivery of sites.

The Chair moved the two recommendations as written and included an additional recommendation that would read as follows:

        3.     That Planning Committee have sight of this report and are reminded of the importance of granting consents to help achieve the Council’s five-year housing land supply at the point of the adoption of the Local Plan.

The Chair advised that the reason for the third recommendation was that he had concerns after watching some Planning Committee meetings that they had lost sight of the significance of achieving a five-year housing land supply.

RESOLVED:

1.     That the residential dwellings completion data, future projections for the district and the 5 year housing land supply position that results be noted;

2.     That the Housing Monitoring Update be agreed and published on the Council’s website and used to inform decision making.

3.     That Planning Committee have sight of the Housing Monitoring Update to year ending 31 March 2024 report to remind Committee of the importance of granting consents to help achieve the Council’s five-year housing land supply at the point of the adoption of the Local Plan.