Agenda item

This report provides a summary of house building monitoring information to the year ending 31 March 2024.

The Housing Monitoring update report was brought to Planning Committee at the request of the Strategic Planning Committee meeting on 29 November, to bring to the attention of the Planning Committee the Council’s housing land supply position.  The Planning Committee were advised that at the time of publication of the agenda the Council’s position was at a 4.15-year housing land supply which was an adequate supply target set by the previous government.

As a result of the recent publication of the government’s proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 the Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management was disappointed to report that the Council’s position had now become significantly worse.  He explained that the Council now had to assess its housing land supply position against the new standard method figure of 1,188 homes per year, an increase of just over 200 homes per year as well as include a requirement of a 5% buffer.  As a result, the Council’s housing housing land supply position is 2.97 years.

The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management urged Committee Members when considering planning applications to give substantial weight to the Council’s housing land supply position with the need to bring forward planning applications to help bolster the housing land supply within a limited time before the Local Plan was submitted for examination.

The Planning Committee noted the report and sought further clarification on the following:

·       Clarification was sought on the current position of the draft Local Plan and whether it was valid.  The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management explained about the transitional arrangements for the new NPPF which allowed the council to progress the Local Plan on the lower figure if the Regulation 19 consultation stage started by 12 March 2025.

·       Clarification was sought on the number of outstanding planning applications.  Although there are not many applications outstanding Committee was reassured by the Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management that he anticipated more applications would come forward now that the new NPPF had been published. 

·       If the current Local Plan is out of date how much weight can be given to the emerging Local Plan once it reaches the Regulation 19 stage.  It was advised that more weight can be given to the emerging Local Plan once the Regulation 19 consultation stage has been published.

·       A concern was raised about the strain on the Planning Department and whether there was a requirement for additional resources or additional planning meetings to meet the need for more planning applications to come forward to achieve the adoption of the Local Plan.

·       Clarification was sought on the impact of the Devolution White Paper.  The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management explained as the white paper had only been published it was too soon to understand its impact but reassured Committee it would not affect this Local Plan but could impact on any future Local Plans.

·       Clarification was sought on what powers did the council have to force developers to complete developments within the required timeframe.  Committee were advised the council did have powers to reduce the current three-year planning application lifespan but questioned whether this would achieve the required result as any development that was not delivered within a shorter lifespan would fall out of the five-year housing land supply.  The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management explained it would be better to seek reassurance from developers about their intentions of their delivery trajectories.