Agenda item

Report of the Corporate Director of Regeneration and Local Services – presented by Michelle Robinson, Spatial Planning Team Leader , Regeneration and Local Services.

The Chairman asked the Spatial Planning Team Leader, Michelle Robinson to give a progress report in respect of the Housing White Paper and the ‘Planning for the Right Homes in the Right Places’ Consultation (for copy see file of minutes).

The Spatial Planning Team Leader noted that this was a further update, the last being at the February meeting of the Committee.  It was explained that following the White Paper published on 7 February, Planning for the Right Homes in the Right Places was published on 14 September 2017 for an eight week consultation closing on the 9 November 2017.

It was noted that the CDP had a 6 week consultation on the issues and options paper, which had been very open to take on board peoples’ thoughts.  Members were reminded that the next stage had been to go out with a “preferred option” around November/December 2016, however, as it was known that the Housing White Paper would be produced, advice was to hold off until this could be looked at.  The White Paper had been expected in December 2016, however it did not come forward until February 2017.  The Spatial Planning Team Leader added that the White Paper had not included some details, such as the method of calculating housing need, however it included 49 questions and a DCC response had been produced and submitted.  A copy of the response had been circulated to the members of the committee in July 2017.

Members noted the Planning for the Right Homes in the Right Places paper included the methodology in terms of calculating housing need and also contained a further 19 questions, including: areas of common ground where working with other Local Authorities; how neighbourhood planning groups can have greater certainty in terms of housing need; using viability assessments to improve and speed up s106 agreements; and looking at increasing planning fees for those Local Planning Authorities that are delivering the homes their communities need.

The Spatial Planning Team Leader noted that the Council’s published figure as set out in the methodology was 1,368 houses per annum.  It was noted that the figures consulted on within the CDP issues and options in June 2016 of 1,717, 1,629 and 1,533 per annum, which were based on Officer for National Statistics 2012 projections, the Government’s figure being based on 2014 projections, which were significantly lower.  Members noted for context that in terms of housing delivery per annum over the last 3 years were 1,146, 1,537 and 1,386.

The Committee noted that the consultation document suggested that it was possible to go beyond the published figure as a result of a “strategic infrastructure project, increased employment ambition through a Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) investment strategy, a bespoke housing deal or through delivering the modern Industrial Strategy”, however, clarity on this was needed.

The Spatial Planning Team Leader added that the Government had noted that following the consultation, the changes would be made to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), to be published early 2018, with a final version being published in Spring 2018.  Members noted that the Council’s response to the consultation would be considered by Cabinet at its meeting on 15 November 2017 and if Members felt appropriate a further update could be brought back to the Committee in January 2018.

The Chairman thanked the Spatial Planning Team Leader and asked Members for their questions on the update report.

Councillor J Clare noted he recalled that some non-housing elements of the CDP may be brought forward and asked as regards this.  He also noted that he felt that the issue in terms of housing was not necessarily the numbers, rather the types, and that two storey properties could work for older people if built suitably in the first place, and there was an issue in terms of provision for single males.  Councillor J Clare added he felt that the potential to increase planning fees seemed counterproductive, especially in areas that struggled to meet their needs.

The Spatial Planning Team Leader noted that the Government consultation sets out how to plan for people with specialist needs, and the CDP would meet the aims in terms of age, population and specialist groups.  She noted the example of the Great Aycliffe Neighbourhood plan which looked for 10% new housing to address the needs of older people and those with specialist needs.  It was added that the Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) and colleagues from teams, such as Housing Solutions, would help to inform the Council’s Housing Strategy moving forward, to ensure the types of property we need are being delivered.  The Spatial Planning Team Leader noted that it had been considered to move forward with some aspects of the CDP such as transport, waste, minerals, however the advice was not to do so.

Councillor E Adam noted it was pleasing to see links to Housing Solutions and added that he had noted the CBI’s report on the Government’s White Paper had not been particularly supportive and that the concern was to support employment by supplying the houses that were needed alongside.  He added that the Council’s CDP had been very forward looking in terms of this, however, added that while the focus had been on houses to buy he felt that there could be some merit in having more social housing provision, allowing people to move easier to access employment opportunities.

The Spatial Planning Team Leader noted that employment and growth had been considered within the CDP, however, the White Paper had looked more along the lines of affordability only, and had not taken into account other issues, such as vacancy rates.

Resolved:       

(i)            That the Economy and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee note the progress report.

(ii)          That the Economy and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee received a further update in January 2018.