Issue - meetings

This report seeks member agreement of the updates to the draft Local Plan housing policies in response to changes to national planning policy, updated evidence base and consideration at previous Local Plan Sub-Committee meetings. More specifically, this report seeks updates to the Housing Mix and Affordable Housing Policy and the removal of the First Homes Policy.

This report also seeks member agreement to withdraw the Council’s Policy Position Statement on First Homes and remove it from the website.

Recommendations:

1.      That the Local Plan Sub-Committee notes the contents of this report, and recommends to the Policy & Resources Committee the following policy updates:

·            Housing Mix Policy (Appendix 2)

·            Affordable Housing Policy (Appendix 3)

·            Removal of First Homes Policy (Appendix 4)

2.     That the Local Plan Sub-Committee recommends to the Policy & Resources Committee to withdraw the Council’s Policy Position Statement on First Homes (Appendix 5) and remove it from the website, and the tenure mix for affordable housing under Policy CP4 of the Core Strategy (2011), which as a guide seeks 70% of the affordable housing provided to be social rented and 30% to be intermediate is re-instated until the adoption of the emerging Local Plan.

The Local Plan Sub-Committee received a report which sought member agreement for updates to the draft Local Plan housing policies in response to changes to national planning policy, updated evidence base, and consideration at previous Local Plan Sub-Committee meetings.  Specifically, the report presented updates to the Housing Mix and Affordable Housing Policy and removal of the First Homes policy.

In relation to Housing Mix, the Sub-Committee heard that this had been updated to reflect the 2024 Local Housing Needs Assessment; the remainder of the policy remained the same as previously agreed aside from minor amendments to figures in the supporting text.  The update had resulted in an adjustment to the housing mix for market housing which decreased the requirement for larger homes and increased the requirement for smaller homes.

Following discussions with the Council’s Housing Team, the social housing and affordable rented housing mix had also been adjusted to bring it into line with the needs of those on the housing register and those in temporary accommodation.  The mix of affordable home ownership had not been changed, as it was considered to remain appropriate.

Members commented and agreed changes to the Housing Mix and Type Policy as follows:

·         Point 10 should be amended to: ‘Proposals for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) that require planning permission will only be supported where the balance of housing types and character of the immediate locality would not be adversely affected….’

·         Officers undertook to give consideration to whether it would be appropriate to require the housing mix within developments to be set out at the outline application stage where there were no commercial reasons which prevented this.

·         A Member suggested replacing the table at paragraph 2.8 of the policy with table 8.21 of the Local Housing Needs Assessment, which gave a higher number of larger homes and a lower number of smaller homes and that this would reflect the wording at paragraph 2(a) of the policy.  Paragraph 2.10 of the policy, which explained the divergence from the LHNA figures could then be deleted.  Responses were given that the LHNA figures were indicative and did not preclude the Council having different policy aspirations; the change to the table to increase the provision of larger homes would adversely affect housing density; and that there was an over-supply of larger homes and a historic under-supply of small properties which needed re-balancing.   On being put to the vote the proposed amendment fell.

In relation to the Affordable Housing Policy, the Sub-Committee heard that this had also been updated in line with the 2024 Local Housing Needs Assessment.  The requirement for 40% of all new housing being affordable housing had been retained, including within minor developments.  In terms of affordable housing for rent, the policy set out that as a guide, 70% of affordable housing for rent should be social rent and 30% should be for affordable rent.  In terms of home ownership, the policy set out that as a guide 50% of affordable home ownership provision should be First  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67