Andy Blaxland POE FINAL
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BASINGSTOKE & DEANE BOROUGH COUNCIL Town and Country Planning Act 1990 – Section 78 Town and Country Planning Appeals (DetErmination by Inspectors) (InquiriEs ProcEdurE) (England) RulEs 2000 PROOF OF EVIDENCE Of Mr Andy Blaxland BA (Hons), Dip TP, Dip Mgt, MRTPI On bEhalf of thE Local Planning Authority OutlinE planning pErmission for thE ErEction of up to 90 dwellings with public open spacE, landscaping and sustainablE drainage systEm (SuDS). Demolition of garages to form a vEhicular accEss point from Bow DrivE and rEplacEmEnt garaging. All mattErs rEsErvEd ExcEpt for mEans of accEss. LAND OFF GODDARDS LANE, SHERFIELD ON LODDON, BASINGSTOKE Appeal by Vivid HomEs and Gladman DevElopmEnts Ltd Planning InspectoratE RefErEncE: APP/H1705/W/19/3226286 BasingstokE & Deane Borough Council RefErEncE: 18/03486/OUT FINAL 17th July 2019 Andy Blaxland Proof of Evidence APP/H1705/W/19/3226286 1 CONTENTS 1 QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE ........................................................................ 3 2 SCOPE OF MY EVIDENCE ........................................................................................... 4 3 RELEVANT HOUSING LAND SUPPLY POLICY FRAMEWORK AND GUIDANCE ... 5 4 THE COUNCIL’S CURRENT HOUSING LAND SUPPLY POSITION ........................... 9 5 MATTERS OF DIFFERENCE ON HOUSING LAND SUPPLY BETWEEN THE PARTIES (AS IDENTIFIED BY THE APPELLANT), AND EVIDENCE ON THESE MATTERS .................................................................................................................... 13 6 CONCLUSIONS, INCLUDING THE RELEVANCE OF THE HOUSING LAND SUPPLY POSITION TO THE PLANNING BALANCE ................................................ 33 Andy Blaxland Proof of Evidence APP/H1705/W/19/3226286 2 1 QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE 1.1. My name is Andy Blaxland and I am a Director of Adams Hendry Consulting Ltd. I am a Chartered Town Planner with a BA (Hons) in Economic Development & Planning and a Postgraduate Diploma in Town Planning, both from Coventry University. 1.2. I have 25 years of town planning experience in public and private sector roles, and have been employed as a consultant at Adams Hendry Consulting Ltd since 2004, initially as an Associate and as a Director since 2007. My role includes leading public and private sector projects, including providing support to local authorities’ Local Plan preparation; and supporting their development management functions, including the determination of planning applications and work on planning appeals. I also lead Adams Hendry’s water and wastewater, minerals and waste, and energy infrastructure projects. 1.3. Prior to joining Adams Hendry in July 2004, I was employed as Forward Planning & Transport Manager at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council (BDBC), where I was responsible for Local Plan preparation, housing land supply, major development sites and transport policy. I held a number of planning policy related roles at BDBC between 1994 and 2004. 1.4. I have undertaken a number of residential planning appeals for local planning authorities within Hampshire, providing evidence on matters relating to housing land supply, application and interpretation of policy and the planning balance. 1.5. I am familiar with the local and national policies and guidance relevant to this Inquiry, and am familiar with the local area. 1.6. I am instructed by BDBC to act on its behalf as the planning expert witness on matters relating to housing land supply for this appeal. 1.7. I can confirm that the evidence which I will give is true, and in accordance with the guidance of my professional institute, the Royal Town Planning Institute. Any opinions expressed are my own true and professional opinions. Andy Blaxland Proof of Evidence APP/H1705/W/19/3226286 3 2 SCOPE OF MY EVIDENCE 2.1. I will provide evidence on the housing land supply related issues in respect of this appeal. My evidence to the inquiry is structured as follows: • Section 3 sets out the relevant housing land supply policy framework and guidance. • Section 4 sets out the Council’s current housing land supply position. • Section 5 identifies matters of difference on housing land supply between the parties as identified by the Appellant, and provides evidence on these matters. • Section 6 provides housing land supply conclusions, including the relevance of the housing land supply position to the planning balance. 2.2. The matters in dispute relating to housing land supply remain under discussion at the time of submitting this proof of evidence. The Council intends to continue to seek to reach additional agreement with the Appellant on housing land supply matters prior to the start of the Inquiry. 2.3. Should it be necessary to do so, a supplementary housing land supply proof of evidence or supplementary housing land supply statements of common ground (SoCG) will be prepared and submitted to the Inquiry. Andy Blaxland Proof of Evidence APP/H1705/W/19/3226286 4 3 RELEVANT HOUSING LAND SUPPLY POLICY FRAMEWORK AND GUIDANCE 3.1 Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires local planning authorities to determine applications for planning permission in accordance with the provisions of the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The DevElopmEnt Plan 3.2 The development plan relevant to the consideration of this appeal comprises the following documents: Basingstoke & Deane Local (2011-2029) – Adopted 26th May 2016 (CD 7.02) Sherfield on Loddon Neighbourhood Plan – made 22nd March 2018 (CD 7.01) 3.3 The Hampshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2013 also forms part of the Development Plan, but is not relevant to the housing land supply aspects of this appeal. The rEvisEd NPPF (2019) 3.4 Relevant Government policy is set out in Section 5 of the NPPF. 3.5 The Government’s objective is “significantly boosting the supply of homes”, as set out in para 59 of the NPPF, noting that “it is important that a sufficient amount and variety of land can come forward where it is needed, that the needs of groups with specific housing requirements are addressed and that land with permission is developed without unnecessary delay.” 3.6 Paragraph 65 of the NPPF identifies the requirement that “Strategic policy-making authorities should establish a housing requirement figure for their whole area, which shows the extent to which their identified housing need (and any needs that cannot be met within neighbouring areas) can be met over the plan period”. 3.7 To ensure that sufficient land is identified for residential development, Para 67 of the NPPF states that: “Strategic policy-making authorities should have a clear understanding of the land available in their area through the preparation of a strategic housing land availability assessment. From this, planning policies should identify a sufficient supply and mix of sites, taking into account their availability, suitability and likely economic viability. Planning policies should identify a supply of: a) specific, deliverable sites for years one to five of the plan period; and Andy Blaxland Proof of Evidence APP/H1705/W/19/3226286 5 b) specific, developable sites or broad locations for growth, for years 6-10 and, where possible, for years 11-15 of the plan. “ 3.8 To maintain supply and delivery, the NPPF (para 73) states: “… Local planning authorities should identify and update annually 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 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: a) 5% to ensure choice and competition in the market for land; or b) 10% where the local planning authority wishes to demonstrate a five year supply of deliverable sites through an annual position statement or recently adopted plan38, to account for any fluctuations in the market during that year; or c) 20% where there has been significant under delivery of housing over the previous three years, to improve the prospect of achieving the planned supply 3.9 Para 74 of the NPPF goes on to note that: “A five year supply of deliverable housing sites, with the appropriate buffer, can be demonstrated where it has been established in a recently adopted plan, or in a subsequent annual position statement which: a) has been produced through engagement with developers and others who have an impact on delivery, and been considered by the Secretary of State; and b) incorporates the recommendation of the Secretary of State, where the position on specific sites could not be agreed during the engagement process.” 3.10 Para 75 of the NPPF notes that: “To maintain the supply of housing, local planning authorities should monitor progress in building out sites which have permission. Where the Housing Delivery Test 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”. Andy Blaxland Proof of Evidence APP/H1705/W/19/3226286 6 3.11 Finally, the glossary to the NPPF identifies the following definition of a deliverable site for housing: To be considered deliverable, sites for housing should be available now, offer a suitable location for development