Hambleton Local Plan: Publication Draft Housing Topic Paper March 2020 Quality Management Title Hambleton Local Plan: Publication Draft Housing Topic Paper Date March 2020 Project Code Client Hambleton District Council Prepared by Claire Dobinson Booth Checked by Martin Craddock Authorised by Jackie Palmer Contents 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 1 2 National planning policy and guidance ........................................................................ 2 3 Summary of the Hambleton Local Plan evolution and evidence base ........................ 4 4 Regional and local context for housing growth ............................................................ 5 5 Establishing Local Housing Needs ............................................................................ 10 7 Housing Site Selection .............................................................................................. 16 Key proposed housing allocations ............................................................................. 17 8 Background and evolution of other key housing policy including: ............................. 22 HG2: Delivering the Right Type of Homes ................................................................ 22 HG3: Affordable Housing Requirements ................................................................... 24 HG4: Housing Exceptions Schemes ......................................................................... 25 HG5: Windfall Housing Development ........................................................................ 26 HG6: Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople .............................................. 27 1 Introduction 1.1 This paper has been prepared to inform Hambleton District Council’s approach to housing development within the Local Plan particularly focusing on where any updates to national policy, guidance and legislation might have occurred since the Plan and its evidence was written. This considers relevant national planning policy and guidance; supporting evidence of the needs for growth, land availability and site selection and evolution of the approach through preparation of the plan. 1.2 The provision of adequate housing land for the current and future needs of residents is of vital importance to the overall delivery of sustainable growth in the District. 1.3 This paper outlines the housing land requirements and supply for Hambleton based upon available population projections and an understanding of land supply and availability. It helps to inform and explain how the policies regarding housing and housing growth have been developed and their intended implementation. The key policies set out within the Publication Draft Hambleton Local Plan that this paper addresses include: S2: Strategic Development Needs – in respect of the overall requirement for housing land. S3: Spatial Distribution – in respect of the overall strategy established for key housing locations and housing development. HG1: Housing Delivery HG 2: Delivering the Right Type of Homes HG3: Affordable Housing Requirements HG4: Housing Exception Schemes HG5: Windfall Housing Development HG6: Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople 1 2 National planning policy and guidance National Planning Policy Framework, February 2019 2.2 Local Plan compliance with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published in February 2019, is one of the tests of soundness considered through the examination process. Local Plans that are not compliant with NPPF are therefore likely to be found unsound by a Planning Inspector. 2.3 The delivery of housing forms a primary objective for NPPF with the record of housing land delivery and future supply forming a vital consideration in the application of the presumption in favour of sustainable development and determining whether relevant development plan policies can be considered up- to-date. 2.4 The NPPF 2019 reaffirms that the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development embodied by three objectives – economic, social and environmental. The social objective involves supporting strong, vibrant and healthy communities by ensuring that a sufficient number and range of homes can be provided to meet the needs of present and future generations. 2.5 Section 5 of NPPF sets out the government’s policy framework for the consideration of housing in plan preparation. This includes guidance in relation to establishing the requirement for housing over the plan period to meet the needs of all residents and different groups, identifying land for homes, maintaining supply and delivery and rural housing. 2.6 The NPPF requires that local plan policies should be informed by a local housing needs assessment to determine the overall housing requirement and the size, type and tenure of houses needed for different groups in the community, including those who require affordable housing, families with children, older people, people who rent their own homes and people who wish to build their own homes (paragraphs 60 and 61). 2.7 Local Planning Authorities are expected to identify and update annually a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide five years' worth of housing against their housing requirements, with an additional buffer to ensure choice and competition in the market, and, as necessary, to address any persistent under delivery. Local Plans should also identify a supply of specific, 2 developable sites or broad locations for growth, for years 6-10 and, where possible, for years 11-15. 2.8 The need for new homes during the plan period will be met through; The development of sites with existing consent for new housing; and The delivery of sites allocated for new housing the local plan 2.9 Sufficient sites have been allocated to meet the requirement, to provide additional flexibility in line with the spatial distribution and to address other housing needs. 2.10 Where a need for affordable housing is identified, the NPPF states that planning policies should specify the type of affordable housing required and normally expect it to be met on-site, although no provision is to be sought for schemes that are not ‘major developments’ other than in designated rural areas (paragraphs 62 and 63). At least 10% of the new homes on major sites are expected to be available for affordable home ownership subject to a number of exemptions (paragraph 64). 2.11 The NPPF also requires local planning authorities to support the development of entry-level exception sites, suitable for first time buyers or renters (paragraph 71). In rural areas, planning policies should continue to support opportunities to bring forward rural exception sites and consider whether allowing some market housing on these sites would help to deliver this (paragraph 77). 2.12 In encouraging inclusive and accessible places, the NPPF indicates that planning policies should make use of the Government’s optional technical standards for accessible and adaptable housing and the nationally described space standard where the need for this is justified). Planning practice guidance 2.13 Planning practice guidance (PPG) provides further detailed advice and technical guidance for local authorities in the preparation of local plans. With the publication of revised NPPF in February 2019 a range of updates were made to PPG and published in summer 2019, after Council agreement of the Hambleton Local Plan Publication Draft by Cabinet on 3rd July 2019 and Full Council on 16 July 2019. 2.14 The PPG requires that local plan policies recognise the diverse types of housing needed in an area and, where appropriate, to identify specific sites for 3 all types of housing to meet the housing requirement. Where this isn’t considered appropriate, policies should include sufficiently robust criteria to set out when different types of housing will be permitted. 2.15 In relation to the assessment of different types of housing need, the PPG provides further clarification in relation to the following: Older people Housing for people with disabilities The private rented sector Self-build and custom housebuilding Student housing Affordable housing 2.16 The PPG also provides detailed guidance on the application of the optional technical standards relating to accessibility and internal space. Local planning authorities are required to gather evidence to determine whether there is a need for these additional standards in their area and, if so, justify setting appropriate policies in their local plans. 3 Summary of the Hambleton Local Plan evolution and evidence base 3.1 The current Hambleton Local Development Framework (LDF) includes a Core Strategy adopted in 2007, Development Policies Development Plan Document (DPD) adopted in 2008 and an Allocations DPD adopted in 2010. Since January 2016 there have been four key stages in the preparation of the Hambleton Local Plan to replace the LDF. 11th January to 19th Hambleton Local Plan Issues and Options Consultation February 2016 31st October to 12th Hambleton Local Plan Preferred Options Consultation December 2016 21st April to 2nd June Hambleton Local Plan Alternative Sites Consultation 2017 30th July to 17th Hambleton Local Plan Publication Draft September 2019 3.2 The preparation of the October 2016 Preferred Options was informed and supported by an Options Assessment Technical Exercise Report, 2016. 4 3.3 The overall timeline for key strategic direction and plan making