Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment 2018
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Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment December 2018 Planning and Economic Growth Place and Infrastructure www.luton.gov.uk Contents Introduction and Background 2018 1 Introduction 2 2 Recent Housing Development Profile 4 Assessment Assessment of Housing Land Availability 3 Method 10 Availability 4 Housing Land Availability in Luton 15 Land 5 Housing Targets and the Five-Year Supply 19 6 Market Appraisal and Risks 29 Housing Appendices Appendix 1: Overview Maps 32 Strategic Appendix 2: Site Assessments 39 1 . Introduction Strategic 1 Introduction Housing What is a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment? 1.1 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published July 2018, requires Land Luton Council to: Availability ...have a clear understanding of the land available in their area through the preparation of a strategic housing land availability assessment...' (paragraph 67) Assessment and '...identify and update annually a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide a minimum of five years’ worth of housing against their housing 2018 requirement set out in adopted strategic policies...' (paragraph 73) 1.2 For plan-making purposes, this strategic housing land availability assessment (SHLAA) meets the requirements of paragraph 67 of the NPPF to identify a supply of: 'a) specific, deliverable sites for years one to five of the plan period; and b) specific, developable sites or broad locations for growth, for years 6-10 and, where possible, for years 11-15 of the plan.' 1.3 National planning practice guidance (NPPG) on land availability assessments can (1) be accessed on-line . This report applies the guidance as it was on 27th September 2018. The guidance advises that the primary role of the SHLAA is to: 'identify sites and broad locations with potential for development; assess their development potential; assess their suitability for development and the likelihood of development coming forward (the availability and achievability).' 1.4 It is not the role or purpose of the SHLAA to make judgements as to what strategy the council should adopt and it does not allocate land for housing. Any sites without planning permission that have been identified in the SHLAA will need to be subject to the planning process for housing development to be allowed. 2 1 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/housing-and-economic-land-availability-assessment 1 . Introduction Context and Study Area 2018 1.5 This assessment covers the administrative area of Luton Borough Council. 1.6 The NPPG states that the geographical area to be covered should be the housing Assessment market area(2) . The Luton housing market area was most recently reviewed through the 2015 report, 'Housing Market Areas in Bedfordshire and surrounding areas'(3) and covers: Availability all of Luton Land a large proportion of Central Bedfordshire Housing land on the western edge of North Hertfordshire Strategic land at the eastern tip of Aylesbury Vale 1.7 There is no single SHLAA that covers the housing market area. It is possible for each associated authority to bring together their authority-specific assessments should the need arise. Every site in this SHLAA has been mapped and location co-ordinates are available to allow reporting to be conducted across any geographic area containing any part of Luton. Further Information 1.8 If you would like to discuss this report, please telephone 01582 547090 or send an email to [email protected] 3 2 Housing and economic land availability assessment, Paragraph 007, Reference ID 3-007-20140306 3 https://www.luton.gov.uk/Environment/Lists/LutonDocuments/PDF/Local%20Plan/Housing/HOU%20003d.pdf 2 . Recent Housing Development Profile Strategic 2 Recent Housing Development Profile 2.1 By examining the profile of housing development it is possible to identify some Housing key characteristics and challenges relating to housing delivery in Luton. Land Completions by Location Availability Table 2.1 Net Dwelling Completions by Location, 01 April 2011 - 31 March 2018 Year Central Area Strategic Assessment Rest of Luton Total and 300m Buffer Sites 2011/2012 179 -12 323 490 2018 2012/2013 130 7 214 351 2013/2014 31 -2 118 147 2014/2015 286 15 114 415 2015/2016 204 79 341 624 2016/2017 567 57 174 798 2017/2018 549 121 203 873 Total 1,946 265 1,487 3,698 2.2 In total, 53% of new dwellings have been delivered in the central area, 7% in strategic sites and 40% throughout the rest of Luton. 2.3 In recent years, a much higher proportion of development has taken place in the central area, predominantly resulting from the conversion of offices to residential accommodation under permitted development rights and the provision of student accommodation. Further details on the source/ types of housing delivered will be presented in the Authority Monitoring Report. 2.4 Completions in 2017/18 represent the highest output of new dwellings in any recorded period since 2011. 2.5 Also of significance is that 2014/15 to 2017/18 saw consecutive increases in annual delivery. This reflects a sustained period of growing economic confidence supported by various government initiatives supporting housing delivery. 2.6 The following page describes the location of strategic sites and the extent of the town centre with 300m buffer. Note that the central area and 300m buffer includes 4 strategic sites within the town centre but excludes the High Town strategic site. Strategic allocations and town centre with buffer 2 . Recent Housing Development Profile Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment 2018 5 2 . Recent Housing Development Profile Strategic Development Sites by Size Table 2.2 Number of Completed Permissions by Gross Number of Homes, 01 April Housing 2011 - 31 March 2018 Land Total No. of Central Area and Strategic Rest of Dwellings in Total Availability 300m Buffer Sites Luton Scheme 1-10 dwellings 91 24 172 287 Assessment 11-24 dwellings 26 5 21 52 25-49 dwellings 9 2 7 18 2018 50-99 dwellings 5 3 7 15 100+ dwellings 4 0 2 6 Total 135 34 209 378 2.7 In total, 72% of development schemes involved the construction of 10 dwellings or fewer. This pattern of development is likely to continue due to the built-up nature of Luton. 6 2 . Recent Housing Development Profile Previously Developed Land 2018 Table 2.3 Percentage of New Dwellings on Previously Developed Land, 01 April 2011 - 31 March 2018 Assessment Year Central Area Strategic Rest of Luton Total (%) and 300m Sites(%) (%) Buffer (%) Availability 2011/2012 100 N/A 69.3 79.8 Land 2012/2013 100 100 28.9 56.7 Housing 2013/2014 100 N/A 67.8 74.1 2014/2015 100 100 50.0 86.3 Strategic 2015/2016 100 100 19.0 55.8 2016/2017 100 100 90.8 98.0 2017/2018 99.6 99.2 91.6 97.7 2.8 The majority of development on greenfield sites since 2011 was the result of the 'New Homes for Luton' scheme, which used open spaces to provide affordable housing. 2015/16 saw the completion of the final site. Following this, the percentage of development on previously developed land has now returned to levels seen under the previous local plan. 2.9 Following the completion of the 'New Homes for Luton' programme, the built-up nature of Luton and limited supply of open spaces will likely result in over 90% of development occurring on previously developed land. 7 2 . Recent Housing Development Profile Strategic Density Table 2.4 Gross Dwelling Density, 01 April 2011 - 31 March 2018 Housing Year % completions % completions % completions Land less than 30dph between 30dph and over 50dph 50dph Availability 2011/2012 0.5 26.8 72.7 Assessment 2012/2013 0.5 15.9 83.5 2013/2014 6.5 41.6 51.9 2018 2014/2015 1.0 11.7 87.4 2015/2016 1.1 32.5 66.3 2016/2017 0.7 7.7 91.6 2017/2018 3.9 5.7 90.5 2.10 The data between 2011 and 2016 show a significant percentage of development taking place between 30 and 50dph. This is largely an effect of the completion of large greenfield sites (particularly the New Homes for Luton programme and development at Birchen Grove allotments). Now that those schemes have completed, the vast majority of development occurs above 50dph. 2.11 Due to the built-up nature of Luton and limited supply of open spaces, it is likely that the majority of development will continue to be delivered above 50dph. 8 2 . Recent Housing Development Profile Bedroom Size 2018 Table 2.5 Net Dwellings by Number of Bedrooms, 01 April 2011 - 31 March 2018 Assessment Year 1 bed 2 bed 3 bed 4+ bed Unknown Total 2011/2012 212 138 58 119 -37 490 Availability 2012/2013 133 136 35 50 -3 351 Land 2013/2014 77 32 24 10 4 147 2014/2015 202 123 43 17 30 415 Housing 2015/2016 278 234 62 51 -1 624 2016/2017 566 169 50 53 -40 798 Strategic 2017/2018 571 251 22 33 -4 873 Total 2,039 1,083 294 333 -51 3,698 2.12 Development activity continues to be concentrated on the provision of smaller properties, reflecting the delivery of flatted accommodation. Activity to convert offices to residential accommodation under permitted development rights and the provision of apartments and smaller properties when delivering larger schemes on previously developed land has meant this trend has been maintained in-line with the increase in overall completions. 2.13 Most of the 4+bed units delivered are clusters of student rooms or houses in multiple occupation. 9 3 . Method Strategic 3 Method Housing Updating the Previous Assessment 3.1 This SHLAA is the latest in a series of housing land availability reports, each of Land which has built-on and updated information from the preceding report.