Issue - meetings

Report of Assistant Director Planning and Development

Purpose of report

To present a Housing Delivery Action Plan (HDAP) and seek agreement to the actions to improve Cherwell’s five year housing land supply position.

Recommendations

That, subject to the consideration of any comments from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the Executive resolves:

1.1           To approve the Housing Delivery Action Plan for publication and to invite comment.

1.2           To instruct officers to keep the Housing Delivery Action Plan under review, having regard to comments received, and to make any necessary changes in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Development Management.

1.3           To instruct officers to present a comprehensive review of the five year housing land supply position to the Executive, should there be evidence of a significant change.

Resolved

(1)            That, having had regard to the feedback from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the Housing Delivery Action Plan be approved for publication.

(2)            That officers be instructed to keep the Housing Delivery Action Plan under review, having regard to comments received, and to make any necessary changes in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Development Management.

(3)            That officers be instructed to present a comprehensive review of the five year housing land supply position to the Executive, should there be evidence of a significant change.

The Assistant Director Planning and Development submitted a report to present a Housing Delivery Action Plan (HDAP) and seek agreement to the actions to improve Cherwell’s five year housing land supply position.

Councillor Parsons, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, addressed Executive to provide feedback from the Committee’s consideration of the Housing Delivery Action Plan at their 3 June meeting. In the course of its  discussion, the Committee had commented on the importance of adequate staffing and resource to deliver the plan, robust recognition of the number of people on the housing waiting list, ensuring necessary infrastructure to deliver developments and had agreed seven recommendations to be submitted to Executive:

(1)  That the Executive is cognisant of the large numbers of people on the housing waiting lists.

(2)  That implementation of the Housing Delivery Action Plan include prioritisation of staffing and resources.

(3)  That more details on the resources to deliver the Housing Delivery Action Plan be provided by The Assistant Director - Planning and Development.

(4)  That the Leader write to central Government on any delays that might be caused by delays in responses by Government departments.

(5)  That suitable measures be taken to ensure that Section 106 agreements are processed on time to avoid delays.

(6)  That further consideration be given to necessary infrastructure developments to deliver the Housing Delivery Action Plan.

(7)  That further consideration be made to risk management of the delivery of the Housing Delivery Action Plan.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning and Development Management and Chair thanked Councillor Parsons and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for their feedback, which they confirmed would be taken on board. In response to the recommendations, the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Development explained that the Chief Executive had given reassurance that resource would be made available.

The Chair confirmed he would write to the Government as per the fourth recommendation.  

With regards Section 106 agreements and infrastructure development, the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Development Management referred to the Area Oversight Groups (AOGs) that had been established to bring together key stakeholders and agree local priorities under an Area Priority Plan. The key areas of work included supporting Planning Officers to resolve outstanding S106 issues and Planning / preparation for the receipt of S106 infrastructure contributions to ensure efficient spend / delivery. Joint working was important to address and unblock obstacles to housing delivery.

Resolved

(1)            That, having had regard to the feedback from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the Housing Delivery Action Plan be approved for publication.

(2)            That officers be instructed to keep the Housing Delivery Action Plan under review, having regard to comments received, and to make any necessary changes in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Development Management.

(3)            That officers be instructed to present a comprehensive review of the five year housing land supply position to the Executive, should there be evidence of a significant change.

Reasons

In order to improve the district’s housing land supply position and address  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5