Development and Allocations Plan (DAP) APPROACH TO HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT AND MIXED-USE ALLOCATIONS 1.0 NATIONAL POLICY 1.1 The National Planning Policy Framework requires plan making to positively seek opportunities to meet the development needs of their area. For plan- making this means 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” (para. 67). 1.2 Paragraph 20 of the NPPF states that strategic policies should outline a strat- egy for the pattern, scale and quality of development, including sufficient provi- sion for “housing (including affordable housing), employment, retail, leisure and other commercial development”. 1.3 In accordance with the NPPF, local planning authorities should ensure that the Local Plan is based on adequate, up-to-date and relevant evidence about the economic, social and environmental characteristics and prospects of the area. Local planning authorities should ensure that their assessment of land strategies for housing, economic land and other uses are integrated, and that they take full account of relevant market and economic signals. 1.4 A national standardised housing need methodology outlines the calculation of housing need based on published projections data. Housing need should be assessed using the Housing Delivery Test, which examines how the housing requirement compares with the number of new homes delivered over the previous three years. Paragraph 75 of the NPPF outlines that local authorities ‘should prepare an action plan in line with national planning policy’ and set out actions to boost delivery where required. If completions fall below 75% of the figure from 2020 then the presumption in favour of sustainable development will apply. 1.5 The NPPF advocates the efficient and effective use of land, in locations that offer good access to a range of community facilities, key services, economic opportunities and infrastructure. Paragraph 117 emphasises the importance of re-using previously developed land. Land availability assessments identify future land supply which is suitable, available and achievable for housing and economic development uses over the plan period. 1.6 Local authorities should identify small and medium sites (those up to one hectare in size) to accommodate at least 10% of their housing requirement. Paragraph 34 states that expected development contributions should be outlined in plans, including the ‘levels and types of affordable housing required’. Councils should annually identify and update a supply of deliverable sites sufficient to provide 5 years’ worth of housing with an additional buffer of 5% to 1 ensure choice and competition. Where there is a persistent record of under delivery (which is not defined in more detail) an additional 20% buffer is required. Beyond the first 5 years the NPPF requires local authorities to ‘identify specific, developable sites or broad locations for growth, for 6-10 years and, where possible, for years 11-15’. Paragraph 75 together with Annex 1 of the NPPF sets out key requirements of the Housing Delivery Test which will measure the housing delivery which will come into force from November 2018. 1.7 To count towards an authority’s five year supply sites must be considered to be deliverable. The NPPF defines ‘deliverable’ as housing sites that are currently available, offer a suitable location for development now, and are achievable with a realistic prospect that housing will be delivered on the site within five years. Additionally, ‘sites with outline planning permission, permission in principle, allocated in the development plan or identified on a brownfield register should only be considered deliverable where there is clear evidence that housing completions will begin on site within five years’. 1.8 Chapter 12 of the NPPF recognises that high quality buildings and places are important aspects of the development process, and paragraph 130 requires local authorities to ‘ensure that the quality of approved development is not materially diminished between permission and completion, as a result of changes being made to the permitted schemes’. To achieve sustainable development, paragraph 124 specifies that ‘being clear about design expectations, and how these will be tested, is essential’. 1.9 In terms of meeting the development needs for employment land, paragraph 80 of the NPPF states that “planning policies and decisions should help create the conditions in which businesses can invest, expand and adapt. Significant weight should be placed on the need to support economic growth and productivity, taking into account both local business needs and wider opportunities for development. The approach taken should allow each area to build on its strengths, counter any weaknesses and address the challenges of the future”. 1.10 The NPPF outlines how planning policies should positively and proactively encourage sustainable growth by setting out a clear economic strategy, accounting for Local Industrial Strategies and other local policies regarding economic development and regeneration. Local planning authorities should accommodate needs not anticipated in the plan and account for new and flexible working practices. Potential barriers to investment should be addressed, such as a poor environment, or inadequate infrastructure, services or housing. Strategic sites should be identified to encourage investment to meet anticipated needs over the plan period. 1.11 Paragraph 82 states that “planning policies and decisions should recognise and address the specific locational requirements of different sectors”, including provision for storage and clusters or networks of knowledge and data-driven, creative or high technology industries. 2.0 NEWCASTLE LOCAL PLAN 2 2.1 The Newcastle Local Plan is made up of 2 parts. The Gateshead and Newcastle Core Strategy and Urban Core Plan (CSUCP) (March 2015) contains the strategic policies for the growth of Newcastle and Gateshead (2010-30) and detailed policies in the Urban Core. The Development and Allocations Plan (DAP) is part 2 of the Local Plan in Newcastle and covers the Newcastle Upon Tyne area. Employment 2.2 The adopted CSUCP identifies a need for a minimum of 150 ha of employment land (80 ha in Newcastle), inclusive of 512,000 sq m of office space (410,000 sq m in Newcastle) to come forward in Newcastle and Gateshead over the plan period. 2.3 The CSUCP allocates two Key Employment Areas, Newcastle International Airport and Walker Riverside. The CSUCP also allocates a number of general locations for development within the boundaries of the Urban Core 2.4 The available employment land identified within the locations set out above, while not part of the DAP, will still contribute to the employment land requirement established by the CSUCP. In order to ensure consistency these sites have been subject to the same level of assessment as the other HELAA sites. They will also continue to be assessed regularly within the Council’s ELRs. Housing 2.5 The CSUCP housing target for Newcastle over the Plan period 2010-2030 is 19,000 gross new homes (Policy CS 10) and excludes student accommodation. Set out below (Figures 1 and 2) is the Newcastle upon Tyne housing target and updated trajectory to 2010-30 (based at 01 April 2018). The DAP plans for additional residential capacity of over 4,200 dwellings to add to the CSUCP housing allocation sites (7,380 dwellings 2010-30) and 2,000 dwellings to be delivered in the Urban Core, in order to meet the housing target and objectively assessed need for the city. The sites proposed for allocation in the DAP provide for new dwellings across a range of types and locations seek to provide certainty of supply of housing over the plan period. Figure 1 Newcastle Housing CSUCP Targets (excluding student accommodation) CSUCP Housing Targets 2010-30 Gross Provision 19,000 Forecast losses 2,000 Net Provision 17,000 3 Figure 2 Newcastle Housing Target and Delivery Base date 1 April 2018 2010-30 CSUCP Housing Target (Gross) 19,000 CSUCP Allocations and Urban Core 9,380 CSUCP Allocations (additional dwellings permitted) 373 Completions (2010/11-2017/18) * 5,518 Sites Under Construction (dwellings to be completed) *+ 571 Planning Permissions *+ 454 Allowance for small sites (<5 units)(50 x12 p.a.) 600 Residual 2,104 Proposed Additional Housing Allocations 4,212 *Excluding sites in CSUCP and DAP Allocations and Urban Core to avoid double counting +Excluding small sites to avoid double counting. 2.6 Figure 2 above clarifies the residual objectively assessed needs by subtracting completions (5,912 minus sites CSUCP Allocations and Urban Core); sites currently under construction; remaining allocations (excluding sites in CSUCP, DAP Allocations, Urban Core and allowance for small sites to avoid double counting) from the gross target. The number of additional dwellings with planning permission was 474 units at 1 April 2018 from which 20 units have been deducted (deriving 454 units) at a 10% discount rate for sites in Low/ Low Mid residential value areas, so as to accord with the methodology utilized in the Core Strategy (SHLAA, 2013). 2.7 The DAP allocations (Policy DM5) provides a capacity of 4,200 units and an additional 100% buffer (over the residual requirement) thus allowing for choice in the market and delays to delivery. Even if the forecast need for bedspaces in residential care homes (under use class C2 of the Use Classes Order) is not delivered (and 53% of the forecast need for bedspces have been delivered since 2015/16), this would only increase the requirement to 2,615 dwellings (total of 511 dwellings) which is below the assumed capacity of the allocated DAP sites. 2.8 The joint Gateshead and Newcastle Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) (August 2017) was commissioned to inform policy making in relation to housing needs.