Agenda item

The Committee considered the report which sought to provide Members with a more detailed understanding of the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which the government published on 12 December 2024. 

The report identified two significant key changes.  The first change affected the housing numbers which would now require the Council to deliver 1,188 homes per year compared to the previous figure of 1,146 homes.  It would also need to be within 80% of that figure resulting in the Council needing to plan for 950 homes per year compared to the previous figure of 946 homes per year. 

The second change affected the transitional arrangements and Members noted that in order to take advantage of the longer transitional period the Council would need to publish the Regulation 19 version of the Local Plan on or before 12 March 2025 and submit for examination within 18 months of the publication of the new NPPF.

The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management explained about some potential consequences in which the Council had a requirement to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply which also must include a 5% buffer.  Members noted that the Council’s housing land supply figure had significantly fallen to 2.97 years which would now require bringing back the tilted balance when considering planning applications.  He also explained that from 1 July 2026 the Council would also be required to demonstrate a six-year housing land supply after the Local Plan had been adopted.

The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management referred to the updated five-year supply calculations tables on page 37 of the report and advised Committee that these tables had been presented to Planning Committee on 17 December 2024 as an update to the annual monitoring report.

Further changes as a consequence of the new NPPF include:

Ø  Affordable Housing

The government have removed the requirement for at least 10% of the total number of homes on major sites to be delivered as affordable homes and that 25% be delivered as First Homes.

Ø  Planning Application Fees

The fee for householder planning applications is to be increased from £258 to £528 with the intention to bring forward measures in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to enable local fee setting for planning applications.

Questions and debate included:

·       In response to a question about how to achieve a six-year housing land supply the Chair explained that although the new Local Plan would help achieve this it was also necessary to approve more planning applications.

·       Clarification was sought about whether the Land Use Framework Consultation published by DEFRA would have an impact on the Local Plan.  The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management advised that the Local Plan would not be affected.

·       Reference was made to the Local Character and Design Coding chapter and support was expressed for the removal of the word ‘beautiful’ as it was difficult to classify what was beautiful as this was too subjective.   The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management emphasised the need to resurrect the District Design Guide which would give greater guidance in terms of what we think is important about local character.

·       Clarification was sought on the affect of deleting the word ‘local character’ in the Local Character and Design Coding chapter.  It was advised this referred to the historic character of the area and was particularly relevant when considering high-density developments.

·       A concern was raised that as the Council was struggling to meet the housing land supply this would make the Council dependent upon developers coming forward with planning applications which would put them in the driver’s seat of the housing market.

·       Clarification was sought on the reference to affordable homes on page 38 of the report and whether councils still had an option to deliver First Homes.  In response the Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management explained that although the obligation to deliver First Homes had been removed, they could still be delivered as a form of affordable housing.

·       Councillor Jung expressed his concern about achieving a six-year housing land supply and that the government should be challenged about this decision as the Council would be reliant on an unpredictable housing market in order to achieve this target.  The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management advised he was happy to draft a letter but emphasised that the Council along with other councils had made comments to government in the past without success.

The following motion was proposed by Councillor Geoff Jung and seconded by Councillor Paula Fernley.

‘That a letter of complaint should be sent to the government expressing the Council’s concerns on achieving a six-year housing land supply.’

RESOLVED:

1.     That the changes made in the new NPPF and the implications for the Council and production of the new Local Plan be noted.

2.     That the updated five-year housing land supply position be noted and that the revised summary tables be published on the Council’s website and used to inform decision making on planning applications.

3.     That the Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management draft a letter to Government in consultation with the Chair, addressing the Council’s concerns about achieving a six-year housing land supply.