Agenda item

Report of Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy

Summary

To seek approval of a Position Statement on Housing Land Supply and of active measures to increase housing supply, in view the current shortfall of deliverable housing sites as reported to the Executive on 6 December 2011.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended to:

(1)               Approve the Housing Land Supply Position Statement for use as a material consideration in the determination of applications for planning permission for ten or more dwellings and in the handling of relevant planning appeals.

(2)               Authorise officers to undertake detailed pre-application discussions with interested promoters in the interests of identifying appropriate opportunities for addressing the housing land supply shortfall that accord with the principles set out in the Housing Land Supply Position Statement.

(3)               Authorise officers to work proactively with promoters and developers to ensure that all reasonable measures are taken for bringing forward and delivering appropriate sites within required timescales and for ensuring that developments are constructed to high standard;

(4)               Instruct officers to ensure that all reasonable opportunities are taken for bringing forward the delivery of sites already approved for new housing development but where development has either not yet commenced or where delivery has stalled.

(5)               Instruct officers to actively monitor housing supply and the delivery of specific sites, liaising with promoters and developers as required, and to ensure that the Planning Committee and Executive are informed of any significant change in circumstances.

Recommendations approved

The Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy submitted a report which sought approval of a Position Statement on Housing Land Supply and of active measures to increase housing supply, in view the current shortfall of deliverable housing sites as reported to the Executive on 6 December 2011.

In introducing the report, the Lead Member for Planning explained that whilst the council had in place planning permission for sufficient housing, as properties were not being built the housing land supply level remained below the required levels in the National Planning Policy Framework. The Position Statement on Housing Land Supply set out how supply could be managed and from where new deliverable housing sites might come forward. Should it be approved, it could be used as a material consideration in the consideration of planning applications and appeals.

Members supported the recommendations and principle of the statement noting that it would put the council, as Local Planning Authority, in a stronger position when considering planning applications. Some Members raised concerns that housing land supply figures continued to be based on a more prosperous economic period and had not been adjusted to reflect the downturn in the economy.

In response to concern about the status of reserve sites, the Lead Member for Planning explained that the re-emergence of reserve sites was to enable officers and developers to revisit these sites and determine if they would be appropriate for development. When considering a planning application, sustainability rather than housing figures would remain the primary consideration. The Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy confirmed that reserve sites remained reserve sites. The status of reserve sites would be included in the Draft Core Strategy which would be submitted to the Executive for consideration in due course.

Resolved

(1)               That the Housing Land Supply Position Statement for use as a material consideration in the determination of applications for planning permission for ten or more dwellings and in the handling of relevant planning appeals be approved.

(2)               That officers be authorised to undertake detailed pre-application discussions with interested promoters in the interests of identifying appropriate opportunities for addressing the housing land supply shortfall that accord with the principles set out in the Housing Land Supply Position Statement.

(3)               That officers be authorised to work proactively with promoters and developers to ensure that all reasonable measures are taken for bringing forward and delivering appropriate sites within required timescales and for ensuring that developments are constructed to high standard;

(4)               That officers be instructed to ensure that all reasonable opportunities are taken for bringing forward the delivery of sites already approved for new housing development but where development has either not yet commenced or where delivery has stalled.

(5)               That officers be instructed to actively monitor housing supply and the delivery of specific sites, liaising with promoters and developers as required, and to ensure that the Planning Committee and Executive are informed of any significant change in circumstances.

Reasons

The Housing Land Supply Position Statement is required in view of the pressing need to actively manage the release of land for housing in the absence of a five-year supply of deliverable sites.  Lack of clarity on the Council’s position would increase the risk of development occurring in an uncoordinated way in less sustainable locations and of the Council’s emerging Core Strategy being undermined.

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