Housing Implementation Strategy
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Chelmsford Draft Local Plan Housing Implementation Strategy November 2018 Local Plan Contents Page 1 Introduction 2 2 Background 4 3 Accommodation Needs 6 4 Land Supply 12 5 Key Indicators 21 6 Interventions and Actions 24 7 Timetable 25 8 Contact Details 26 9 Appendix 1 27 10 Appendix 2 28 11 Appendix 3 29 12 Appendix 4 30 1 1 Introduction 1.1 The requirement to provide a Housing Implementation Strategy (HIS) was set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (March 2012) which stated that a HIS should describe the approach to managing the delivery of housing targets and trajectories: “for market and affordable housing, illustrate the expected rate of housing delivery through a housing trajectory for the plan period and set out a housing implementation strategy for the full range of housing describing how they will maintain delivery of a five-year supply of housing land to meet their housing target” (paragraph 47, 4th bullet point) 1.2 This HIS reports on the Council’s evidence of housing land supply, including the five year housing supply position, taking into account the requirements of the NPPF (March 2012) and relevant Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) accompanying the NPPF (March 2012). 1.3 It also provides a statement of land supply and phasing arrangements for the Local Plan period to 2036 and presents the housing trajectory. 1.4 The revised NPPF (July 2018) does not require a HIS but paragraph 75 states that where the Housing Delivery Test (HDT) indicates that delivery has fallen below 95% of the local planning authority’s housing requirement over the previous three years, the authority should prepare an action plan in line with national planning guidance, to assess the causes of under-delivery and identify actions to increase delivery in future years. 1.5 A HDT Measurement Rule Book, which explains in detail how the HDT is to be calculated, was published in July 2018. 1.6 Further guidance on how an authority can demonstrate a five year supply of deliverable housing sites and what should be identified in a HDT action plan was published on the 13 September 2018 in PPG on Housing and economic land availability assessment. This PPG states that any area may wish to produce an action plan as a matter of good practice or to identify processes to exceed housing requirements and support delivery1. 1 Paragraph: 069 Reference ID: 3-069-20180913 Housing and economic land availability assessment (September 2018) 2 1.7 The NPPF (July 2018) and PPG2 also provide a new standard method to determine the minimum number of new homes needed, unless exceptional circumstances justify an alternative approach, which also reflects current and future demographic trends and market signals. 1.8 As policies in the NPPF (July 2018) are a material consideration from the day of publication3, the calculation of the five year land supply figure in this HIS is also considered. This calculation is based on local housing need using the standard method as the starting point, with reference to both the PPG on Housing and economic land availability assessment4 and Housing need assessment5 with an appropriate buffer applied6. 1.9 For the purposes of examining plans, the NPPF (July 2018) states that policies in the previous NPPF (March 2012) will apply where those plans were submitted on or before 24 January 20197. Chelmsford City Council submitted its draft Local Plan to the Secretary of State on 29th June 2018. Therefore, the draft Local Plan will be examined against the NPPF (March 2012) and this HIS brings together the housing supply information submitted to support that Examination. 2 National Planning Practice Guidance, Housing Need Assessment, September 2018. 3 Paragraph 212, National Planning Policy Framework, July 2018. 4 Paragraph: 030 Reference ID: 3-030-20180913 Housing and economic land availability assessment (September 2018) 5 Paragraph: 004 Reference ID: 2a-004-20180913 Housing need assessment (September 2018) 6 Paragraph:037 Reference ID: 3-037-20180913 Housing and economic land availability assessment (September 2018) 7 Paragraph 214, National Planning Policy Framework, July 2018. 3 2 Background Housing Need 2.1 The NPPF (March 2012) required local planning authorities to prepare a Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) that identified the scale and mix of housing and range of tenures that the local population is likely to need over the plan period. 2.2 The Government published a new standardised approach to calculating housing need in September 20188. The standard method uses a formula to identify the minimum number of homes expected to be planned for, in a way which addresses projected household growth and historic undersupply. 2.3 The standard method for assessing housing need does not breakdown the overall figure into different types of housing. Therefore, the need for particular sizes, types and tenures of homes, as well as the housing needs of particular groups, should be considered separately but the household projections that form the baseline of the standard method are inclusive of all households. Land Availability 2.4 Local planning authorities are required to prepare a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) to establish realistic assumptions about the availability, suitability and the likely economic viability of land to meet the identified need for housing over the plan period. 2.5 The NPPF (March 2012) required local planning authorities to identify and annually update a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide five years’ worth of housing against their housing requirement, with an additional buffer of 5% (moved forward from later in the plan period) to ensure choice and competition in the market for land. Where there had been persistent under delivery of housing, local planning authorities should increase the buffer to 20% to provide a realistic prospect of achieving the planned supply. 2.6 The NPPF (July 2018) requires local planning authorities to identify and annually update a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide a minimum of five years’ worth of housing against their housing requirement set out in adopted 8 Planning Practice Guidance, Housing Needs Assessment (September 2018) 4 strategic policies or against their local housing need where the strategic policies are more than five years old. The supply of specific deliverable sites should in addition include a buffer (moved forward from later in the plan period) of 10% where the local planning authority wishes to demonstrate a five year supply of deliverable sites through an annual position statement or recently adopted plan, to account for any fluctuations in the market during that year. 2.7 Authorities should illustrate the expected rate of housing delivery through a Housing Trajectory for the plan period. 5 3 Accommodation Needs Housing Requirement 3.1 The Core Strategy and Development Control Policies Development Plan Document for the period 2001 – 2021 (adopted February 2008) sets out a housing requirement for 700 new homes per year. 3.2 The Council undertook a focused review of its Development Plan Documents upon the publication of the NPPF in March 2012. The Core Strategy and Development Control Policies Focused Review (adopted December 2013) identified several amendments required for policies to be readily consistent with the provisions of the NPPF (March 2012). 3.3 A Full Review of the City Council’s Local Development Framework to produce a consolidated Local Plan that extends the Plan period to 2036 with new housing and employment targets and allocations, was submitted to the Secretary of State for examination on the 29th June 2018 (‘the draft Local Plan’). SHMA 3.4 Paragraph 47 of the NPPF (March 2012) stated that to boost significantly the supply of housing, local planning authorities should use their evidence base to ensure that their Local Plan meets the full, objectively assessed needs for market and affordable housing in the housing market area. 3.5 Paragraph 159 of the NPPF (March 2012) set out that local planning authorities should have a clear understanding of housing needs in their area by preparing a Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) to assess their full housing needs, working with neighbouring authorities where housing market areas cross administrative boundaries. 3.6 The North and Central parts of Essex comprise the local authorities of Chelmsford, Colchester, Braintree and Tendring. These authorities share a common Housing Market Area (HMA) and worked in partnership to assess the future housing needs across the HMA using the national PPG for calculating housing need published in association with the NPPF (March 2012). 6 3.7 The Objectively Assessed Housing Need (OAHN) Update Report published in November 2016 and the Strategic Housing Market Assessment Update published in December 2015, which focuses on the calculation of affordable housing need and the size and tenure of all dwellings required within the overall OAHN, together comprise the SHMA for the HMA. 3.8 The OAHN Report uses the 2014 based national population and household projections, together with an update to the SHMA undertaken in December 2015, to show the OAHN for Chelmsford is 805 net new homes per year. 3.9 National planning guidance states that the total affordable housing need should be considered in the context of its likely delivery as a proportion of mixed market and affordable housing developments, taking into account the probable percentage of affordable housing to be delivered by eligible market housing led developments. An increase in the total housing figures included in the local plan should be considered where it could help deliver the required number of affordable homes. 3.10 The SHMA10 identified a need for 179 new affordable homes per year. This equates to 22% of the OAHN which is well within the current affordable housing requirement of 35%.