South West Hertfordshire Dacorum Borough Council Three Rivers District Council Watford Borough Council Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment Final Report: Volume 1 October 2008 Tribal Urban Studio Team in association with Atisreal Contents 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................1 1.1 Purpose of the study ...........................................................................................1 1.2 Context and study area .......................................................................................1 1.3 Overview of study approach................................................................................5 1.4 Summary of Findings ..........................................................................................7 1.5 Overview of this Report.....................................................................................11 2 Context........................................................................................................................13 2.1 Introduction........................................................................................................13 2.2 Urban Capacity Study .......................................................................................13 2.3 Planning policy ..................................................................................................14 2.4 Population and Household Change ..................................................................17 3 Study Method ..............................................................................................................20 3.1 Overview............................................................................................................20 3.2 The method - key stages...................................................................................20 3.3 The ten stages...................................................................................................21 4 Exploring housing potential through design................................................................29 4.1 Introduction........................................................................................................29 4.2 Site selection .....................................................................................................29 4.3 Design approach ...............................................................................................29 4.4 Exceptional sites ...............................................................................................32 5 Assessing whether sites are developable and deliverable .........................................33 5.1 Introduction........................................................................................................33 5.2 Background Research.......................................................................................33 5.3 Assessing suitability for housing .......................................................................33 5.4 Assessing availability for housing .....................................................................33 5.5 Assessing achievability for housing ..................................................................34 5.6 Overall deliverability assessment and phasing .................................................36 6 Capacity Estimates- South West Hertfordshire ..........................................................37 6.1 Introduction........................................................................................................37 6.2 Suitable sites .....................................................................................................37 6.3 Overall Deliverability and Phasing ....................................................................37 6.4 Overcoming constraints.....................................................................................40 7 Capacity Estimates- Dacorum ....................................................................................41 7.1 Introduction........................................................................................................41 7.2 Suitable sites .....................................................................................................41 7.3 Overall Deliverability and Phasing ....................................................................42 8 Capacity Estimates- Three Rivers ..............................................................................48 i 8.1 Introduction........................................................................................................48 8.2 Suitable sites .....................................................................................................48 8.3 Overall Deliverability and Phasing ....................................................................49 9 Capacity Estimates- Watford ......................................................................................54 9.1 Introduction........................................................................................................54 9.2 Suitable sites .....................................................................................................54 9.3 Overall Deliverability and Phasing ....................................................................54 10 SHLAA Monitoring and Updating ................................................................................59 10.2 Annual Monitoring Reports – Local Authorities.................................................59 10.3 Annual Monitoring Reports – Regional Bodies .................................................59 10.4 Towards a Monitoring Framework.....................................................................60 Tables and Figures Figure 1: The Study Area...........................................................................................................3 Figure 2: The Study Area and Ward Boundaries.......................................................................4 Table 1: Settlements covered by the 2005 Urban Capacity Study ..........................................14 Table 2: Summary of unsuitable/suitable sites in South West Hertfordshire...........................37 Table 3: Phasing of all accepted sites in South West Hertfordshire........................................38 Table 4: Urban Capacity in South West Hertfordshire.............................................................39 Table 5: Greenfield Capacity in South West Hertfordshire......................................................39 Table 6: Greenfield Capacity Only ...........................................................................................39 Table 6: Summary of unsuitable/suitable sites in Dacorum.....................................................41 Table 7: Phasing of all accepted sites in Dacorum..................................................................43 Table 8: Urban Capacity in Dacorum.......................................................................................45 Table 9: Greenfield Capacity in Dacorum................................................................................46 Table 10: Phasing of Individual Sites in Dacorum ...................................................................47 Table 11: Summary of unsuitable/suitable sites in Three Rivers.............................................48 Table 12: Phasing of all accepted sites in Three Rivers..........................................................50 Table 13: Urban Capacity in Three Rivers...............................................................................51 Table 14: Greenfield Capacity in Three Rivers........................................................................52 Table 15: Phasing of Individual Sites in Three Rivers .............................................................53 Table 16: Summary of unsuitable/suitable sites in Watford.....................................................54 Table 17: Phasing of all accepted sites in Watford..................................................................55 Table 18: Urban Capacity in Watford.......................................................................................56 Table 19: Greenfield Capacity in Watford................................................................................57 Table 20: Phasing of individual sites in Watford ......................................................................58 Table 21: Categories of sites within the planning process.......................................................61 ii Figure 3: SHLAA Monitoring Framework .................................................................................49 Appendices Annex A: Consultation Letter ...................................................................................................50 Annex B: List of Consultees.....................................................................................................52 Annex C: Density calculations .................................................................................................61 Disclaimer It should be noted that this study is not a statement of Council policy; rather it is a technical document for consideration, assisting in the production of new development plan documents as required under new planning procedures: the study merely identifies land and buildings where the potential may exist for new housing development to come forward in the timeframe of 20 years from LDF