Hatfield Council (1007975) Note on the Council’s position on Housing Supply 30 August 2018

By way of an update and to assist the Inspector’s examination of ’s Local Plan, the following note comprises an update to Welwyn Hatfield’s housing land supply position. The Welwyn Hatfield Local Plan was submitted for examination in May 2017. The Inspector has asked the Council to propose modifications to its Submitted Plan to address the shortfall between the submitted housing target of 12,000 dwellings and the Objectively Assessed Need for housing (OAN) of 16,000 dwellings (to 2033). To this end, the Inspector has asked for further technical work to be undertaken on the harm to the Green Belt if land was released, and to identify what parts of the Green Belt are essential to retain. The Green Belt work has now been completed and is published on the website: http://www.welhat.gov.uk/article/6938/Examination- Documents The Council’s Cabinet Housing and Planning Panel will be considering a report on 6 September 2018 on the conclusions of the Green Belt Study Stage 3 and the Next steps for the Local Plan. The report has been published and can be found here: http://democracy.welhat.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=266&MId=873&Ver=4

Housing Land Supply position within Welwyn Hatfield

1.1 A review is underway of the different sources of housing land supply within the borough. Evidence to the examination and last year’s Annual Monitoring Report has identified an increase in housing land supply from the 12,000 in the Submission Local Plan to 12,400. This leaves a figure of 3,600 dwellings to find in order to build 16,000 homes by 2033.

1.2 As well as considering opportunities to modify the plan with the addition of further sites, officers are also reviewing whether or not estimated capacities could be increased on sites already proposed for allocation. Initial estimates indicate that there may be potential to increase capacity in the region of 700 - 1,000 homes, although the infrastructure implications of this need to be tested

1.3 The Inspector has also indicated that the Council should consider the extent to which it may be able to release some employment land to help meet the shortfall for housing.

1.4 However, whilst releasing employment land would help to minimise the impact on the Green Belt, it would undermine the Council’s economic strategy and mean that there would be insufficient jobs for the growth in the borough’s economically active population. The Council is currently investigating the infrastructure implications of this option.

1.5 In any event, there is insufficient land in employment use being promoted to meet the entire housing shortfall. 1.6 In order to reach 16,000 dwellings it will be necessary for Welwyn Hatfield to release additional land from the Green Belt. However, the inclusion of omission sites will result in high harm to the Green Belt. The Council is currently investigating the infrastructure implications associated with this option.

Housing land supply position within the Welwyn Hatfield Housing Market Area

• The Welwyn Hatfield Local Plan Inspector has indicated that he considers the defined Welwyn Hatfield Housing Market Area (HMA) is an appropriate level of geography to consider to what extent housing need is being met.

• Goffs Oak ward lies within the Welwyn Hatfield defined Housing Market Area. Housing land supply in this ward exceeds the proportionate share of the OAN for the defined housing market area.

• However, there is a shortfall of housing land supply elsewhere within the defined HMA, including within Welwyn Hatfield and as a result, it is necessary for Welwyn Hatfield to explore the opportunities to assist in meeting the shortfall within the wider Welwyn Hatfield HMA.

• Welwyn Hatfield also needs a stepped housing target with lower delivery rates in the first five years of the plan. This is another indicator of the shortage of housing land supply against the OAN, which leads Welwyn Hatfield to seek assistance from other authorities within its HMA.

Proposed Change to the Plan

1.7 The following modification has been forwarded to Broxbourne Borough Council for consideration.

Paragraph 3.12

In the event that there are difficulties in implementation of the development strategy, contingency planning will focus on bringing forward the reserve site undesignated land at Maxwells Farm West (Policy CH8, Section 7) (Paragraph 7.23) for either employment or housing needs within the borough or to assist Welwyn Hatfield in meeting a shortfall in housing land supply within the wider Welwyn Hatfield Housing Market Area where Welwyn Hatfield is able to demonstrate that it has explored all reasonable alternatives first, or the Area Action Plan (see Policy WC3, Section 11).

Paragraph 7.23

This site is proposed for removal from the Green Belt as part of wider Green Belt changes in the vicinity. It is not being specifically allocated for development within this Local Plan but it is recognised that its development could contribute to other strategic objectives of the Plan within the Plan period. Any proposals that emerge for its development will be assessed against their ability to contribute to the vision, objectives, strategy and policies of the Local Plan. Should the site not be required to meet Broxbourne’s housing or employment needs, the Council has been requested to assist Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council to meet a shortfall in its housing land supply and should Welwyn Hatfield be able to demonstrate that it has explored all reasonable alternatives first, then the site may be needed to assist this adjoining authority in line with the Duty to Cooperate.

Conclusion

2.1 The position at the current time is that Welwyn Hatfield remain around 3,600 dwellings short of its Objectively Assessed Need for housing although Welwyn is exploring all opportunities to identify additional sources of supply to meet this shortfall.