Draft Memorandum of Understanding between Slough Borough Council and Spelthorne Borough Council on Strategic Planning and the “Duty to Co-operate” on Planning Matters.
Background
In the light of the Duty to Cooperate, Slough Borough Council and Spelthorne Borough Council have agreed this Memorandum of Understanding for topics of common strategic concern. These topics include housing, employment and retail, provision of travellers, flooding and Heathrow Airport.
This Memorandum of Understanding builds on long established joint working between local authorities and acknowledges where issues cannot be resolved.
The following schedules identify those matters where agreement has been reached and also where further cooperation will be undertaken to seek resolution of outstanding issues.
Schedule A: Housing Market Areas and Functional Market Areas
Slough Borough Council
1. Slough Borough Council are within a Housing Market Area referred to as the ‘Eastern Berkshire Housing Market Area’. This comprises the administrative areas of Slough Borough Council, The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead and South Bucks District Council. This is based on the findings of the Berkshire (including South Bucks) Strategic Housing Market Assessment published in February 2016.
2. Slough Borough Council lies in the East Berkshire Functional Market Area (FEMA).
Spelthorne Borough Council
1. Spelthorne and Runnymede lie within a single Housing Market Area. The HMA relates to the West London Market Area (particularly for Spelthorne) and to West Surrey (in Runnymede’s case). This is based on a joint 2015 Strategic Housing Market Area study completed by Spelthorne and Runnymede Borough Councils. 2. Spelthorne is positioned within a Heathrow-focussed Functional Economic Market Area and shares its strongest links with Runnymede, Hillingdon, Hounslow and Elmbridge.
These studies have both been consulted on.
Agreement
It is agreed that Spelthorne Borough and Slough Borough lie in separate but adjoining Housing Market Areas and Functional Economic Market Areas.
Schedule B: Objectively Assessed Needs (OAN) for Housing and Employment
Slough Borough Council
1. A joint SHMA with the Berkshire authorities showed that Slough has an OAN of 927 dwellings per year from 2013-2036. 2. A joint East Berkshire EDNA identified the labour supply-led gross employment land requirements for industrial uses as 180 ha.
Spelthorne Borough Council
1. A joint SHMA prepared in 2015 with Runnymede Borough Council provides a robust evidence base of the housing requirements in the Housing Market Area for the period 2013-2033. 2. In relation to housing, the latest evidence indicates that Spelthorne’s OAN is 552-757 dwellings per annum in the period up to 2033. Work is currently being commissioned to update the SHMA. This will be shared once findings are available. 3. In relation to employment need, no evidence is currently available, however once a study has been commissioned and completed, this will be shared.
Agreement
Slough Borough Council and Spelthorne Borough Council will keep each other informed of any changes to their respective OANs for housing and employment.
Schedule C: Unmet Housing Need
Slough Borough Council
1. Slough Borough Council is unable to meet its full objectively assessed housing need of 927 dwellings per year from 2013-2036. The Issues and Options document (January 2017) identified a potential shortfall of 6,000-8,000 dwellings.
Spelthorne Borough Council
1. Spelthorne Borough Council is not currently in a position to state what percentage of the borough’s OAN for housing the Local Plan will be able to accommodate. 2. A Strategic Land Availability Assessment is currently being undertaken and findings will be shared once available.
Agreement
The authorities will keep each other informed of the proportion of any unmet need in housing required in the plan period. At this stage Spelthorne and Slough are unlikely to be able to take any of each other’s unmet need.
Schedule D: Unmet Need for Employment and Retail Floorspace
Slough Borough Council
1. Slough Borough Council is not able to provide the labour supply-led gross employment land requirements for industrial uses (180 ha) identified in the East Berkshire EDNA. 2. Slough Borough Council will seek to meet its need for jobs to allow Slough to maintain its economic position in the sub-region. 3. The final provision of employment growth will in part depend on decisions about Heathrow.
Spelthorne Borough Council
1. Spelthorne is not yet in a position to state what percentage of the Borough’s OAN for employment and retail floorspace the Local Plan will be able to accommodate. 2. An Economic Development Needs Assessment is to be undertaken in due course and results will be shared once available.
Agreement
The authorities will keep each other informed of the proportion of any unmet need in employment required in the plan period. At this stage Spelthorne and Slough are unlikely to be able to take any of each other’s unmet need.
Schedule E: Green Belt
Slough Borough Council
1. Slough Borough Council Issues and Options document includes an option for releasing Green Belt land for housing.
Spelthorne Borough Council
1. Spelthorne Borough Council is currently preparing a Green Belt Assessment which will provide evidence of how different areas perform against Green Belt purposes set out in national policy. This evidence will then be taken into account by Spelthorne Borough Council alongside other evidence in preparing its Local Plan.
Agreement
The authorities will keep each other informed of the approach to Green Belt.
Schedule F: Provision for Gypsy, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople (GTTS)
Slough Borough Council
1. Slough Borough Council has yet to commission Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessment.
Spelthorne Borough Council
1. Spelthorne Borough Council will commission a Traveller Accommodation Assessment in due course which will form part of the evidence base of the new Local Plan.
Agreement
Agreed that there are unknown transit issues currently and no cross boundary issues identified at the present time.
Neither authority is currently requesting the other authority to accommodate unmet needs for travellers. However this will be kept under review once the evidence has been produced.
Schedule G: Strategic Transport Issues
Slough Borough Council
1. Slough Borough Council currently undertaking Transport Modelling. 2. Slough Borough Council is currently preparing a Transport Strategy. 3. Final approach to Transport will part depend on decisions on Heathrow.
Spelthorne Borough Council
1. Spelthorne Borough Council has not yet carried out any evidence base work for the Local Plan on strategic transport issues. 2. Spelthorne Borough Council is likely to source its transport modelling from Surrey County Council.
Agreement
Slough Borough Council and Spelthorne Borough Council will cooperate on transport issues including Heathrow Airport.
Schedule H: Flooding
Slough Borough Council
1. Slough Borough Council has no strategic cross boundary issues in regards to flooding.
Spelthorne Borough Council
1. Spelthorne Borough Council will commission a Strategic Flood Risk Assessment in due course to support the Local Plan. 2. Slough Borough Council has no strategic cross boundary issues in regards to flooding.
Agreement
Slough Borough Council and Spelthorne Council have no strategic cross boundary issues in regards to flooding.
This Memorandum of Understanding provides a framework for joint working between Slough Borough Council and Spelthorne Borough Council
Signed:
Cllr Martin Carter Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport Slough Borough Council
Signed:
Cllr Colin Barnard Portfolio Holder for Planning and Economic Development Spelthorne Borough Council
Date:17th May 2018