Issue - meetings

To consider the report (attached).

(1)       To agree the proposed EFDC response to the MHCLG technical consultation set out in paragraphs 5-10 of this report on ‘Changes to planning policy and guidance including the standard method for assessing local housing need’.

(2)       To note the consultation on proposed planning reforms to support the high street and increasing the delivery of new homes and delegate the Council’s response to the Planning Services Director in conjunction with the Portfolio Holder.

(3)       To note the publication of the Government’s response to the consultation on supporting housing delivery through developer contributions.

The Interim Assistant Director (Planning Policy) presented a report that sought:

(a)          Members approval of the proposed response to the MHCLG technical consultation ‘Changes to planning policy and guidance including the standard method for assessing local housing need’ which was published on 26 October with comments due by 7 December 2018.

(b)       To note the consultation on proposed planning reforms and increasing the delivery of new homes published on 29 October 2018 with comments due by 14 January 2019.

(c)       To update members on the Government’s response to the consultation on supporting housing delivery through developer contributions.

(a)       MHCLG technical consultation – Changes to planning policy and guidance including the standard method for assessing local housing need

This technical consultation followed the publication of the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in July 2018 and the release of the 2016 based household projection in September 2018. The proposal was to alter the standard methodology for assessing local housing need to ensure it was consistent with increasing the supply of homes. Therefore, local authorities would continue to use the 2014 based household projections when using the standard method to assess the minimum number of homes needed, which meant 923 homes for this Council, rather than using the 2016 based household projections published in September. However, as Local Plans submitted for examination before 24 January 2019 could be based on existing locally assessed housing need, the Local Plan would be examined on the basis of the Strategic Housing Market Assessment figure of 518 homes per annum as set out in the Local Plan Submission Version 2017.

The Government considered the following three changes were the best way to respond to the new ONS 2016 household projections published in September 2018:

·                For the short-term, the 2014-based household projection (instead of the recently published 2016-based projection) would be used as a baseline for assessment of local housing need.

·                That lower numbers through the 2016-based projections did not qualify as an exceptional circumstance that justified a departure from the standard methodology; and

·                In the longer term, the Government would review the formula for assessing local housing need with a view to establishing a new method by the time the next projections were issued.

This would provide stability and certainty for local planning authorities and communities, ensure that planning responded not only to movements in projected household but also to price signals, and also ensure planning policy supported a housing market that worked for everyone.

The consultation document also included a number of proposed clarifications of national planning policy.

The consultation questions and the Council’s proposed draft response were detailed in the agenda.

(b)       Planning reform: Supporting the high street and increasing the delivery of new homes

The MHCLG consultation, published on 29 October 2018, set out proposals for permitted development rights (PDRs) to support the high street. This included to allow greater flexibility for change of use, to extend buildings upwards to create new homes, to remove the PDRs for telephone kiosks and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5