Plan:MK Topic Paper - Issues Consultation Growth in Housing September 2014 www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/PlanMK Plan:MK Topic Papers - Issues Consultation Plan:MK Topic Papers - Issues What is the purpose of the Topic Papers? Consultation This is one of a series of Topic Papers Introduction published by the Council at this time. In total there are twelve Topic Papers Plan:MK, a new Local Plan for Milton covering: Keynes, will set out a development strategy for Milton Keynes up to 2031 with a range Growth in Housing of detailed policies to guide development Employment and Economic over this period. Development It will replace the Core Strategy, adopted Town Centres and Retail in 2013 and the existing Local Plan (2005) Transport and Travel which together currently form the part of Rural Issues development plan for the Borough. Provision of Physical and Social Infrastructure Once complete, Plan:MK and any Quality of Place Neighbourhood Plans, will be the starting Culture, Recreation and Quality point for planning advice, (other than for of Life Minerals and Waste) and decisions made by Open Space and the Natural the Council. It will set out how much Environment 1 development is expected over the plan Climate Change and Sustainability period and the location of development Duty to Cooperate sites across the Borough. It will also include The Way Forward: Preparing a detailed policies to ensure that all Vision and Development Strategy development is of high quality and for Plan:MK respectful to the character of Milton Keynes, and that unplanned development Each of the Topic Papers is available only occurs where it is appropriate. on the Council website at http://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/planmk Plan:MK has to be prepared within the context of national planning policy and Milton within the legislative framework set out by The aim of the papers is to engage the Government. This Topic Paper is part everyone with a stake in the future growth of the first stage in the process where we Keynes and development of Milton Keynes in the are seeking initial view of the public and preparation of Plan:MK. They cover a range other interested parties on what should be of topics, sometimes interlinked, which the in Plan:MK. Council Council have identified as being key to the development of the Plan. Each paper summarises the background to | the topic, setting out data and policy Plan:MK context, before highlighting key issues and posing questions for the reader – the responses to which will help the Council in - Growth the development of Plan:MK. in Housing Plan:MK Topic Papers - Issues Consultation The final topic paper, “The Way Forward” How to respond draws together issues raised in the preceding papers and considers what they mean for the Vision and Development The Council would appreciate any Strategy. feedback you have on the Topic Papers. In particular, if you can focus When we produce the final version of on the questions posed it will help with Plan:MK, the Vision and Development the development of the plan. Strategy will be at the start of the Plan, Feedback can be submitted: setting the scene for the policies that will follow. Online via our consultation portal: http://miltonkeynes-consult. These Topic Papers are being published for objective.co.uk consultation in accordance with Regulation Via email: 18 ‘Preparation of a local plan’ of the Town [email protected] and Country Planning (Local Planning) In writing: Development Plans, (England) Regulations 2012. Civic Offices, 1 Saxon Gate East, Central Milton Keynes, MK9 3EJ All comments should be received by 2 5pm on Wednesday 3rd December 2014. How will the feedback be used? The next stage of the process will be to develop a Preferred Options document, which will set out the Council’s initial draft of Plan:MK. Feedback from this Issues consultation will help to shape the options considered as part of the development of the Preferred Options. These options will evolve through Housing further focused consultation with key in stakeholders. The Council expects to publish the Growth Preferred Options document for - consultation in 2015. The overall aim is to get a final plan Plan:MK prepared by early 2016, at which time it | will be submitted to the Government and be subject to independent examination. Council Keynes Milton Introduction Introduction 4 This Topic Paper looks at the sources of demand for homes and considers how 1 Planning to meet housing need will be many new homes need to be planned for a key part of the new local plan for the over the coming decades. It also considers Borough, and we will have to take account what sorts of homes are needed, including of the demand for homes from existing what level of affordable housing should be residents, and those people who are provided and the need for specialist forms expected to move here over the plan of housing. The paper asks a series of period. questions which we would welcome your thoughts and feedback on. 2 Over its history, Milton Keynes has grown from a population of 60,000 across the Borough in 1967, to over 240,000 in the 2011 Census. People choose to move here for many reasons, including access to job opportunities, the green spaces and attractive environment that has formed an integral part of Milton Keynes, and all the other amenities that the City and the Borough has to offer. 3 But not all of the demand for homes 3 comes from people moving to Milton Keynes; a significant proportion of the demand for homes is from natural growth and the formation of new households. Milton Keynes Council | Plan:MK - Growth in Housing A - Overall Housing Figure - Policy Background A - Overall Housing Figure - 9 The Government requires LPAs to work together with neighbouring areas where a Policy Background Housing Market Area (HMA) crosses administrative boundaries. Milton Keynes, National primarily due to its economic influence over the surrounding area, has a housing 5 The Government, through the National market which extends outside the boundary Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) places of the Borough. Therefore MKC is required great importance on the delivery of to work with the relevant neighbouring housing. It requires Local Planning authorities to investigate the issue of Authorities (LPAS) to objectively assess housing need across the sub-region. This is housing need in their local area, where discussed in more detail in the Duty to necessary working with other authorities Co-operate Topic paper, but the key who may share housing as a common housing issues are also raised in the strategic issue. discussion throughout this paper. 6 The emphasis is on ensuring that 10 The NPPF requires strategies for housing is provided to meet the needs of housing to be integrated with those for the people already living in the Borough employment and other uses. Therefore but also for those who are likely to move housing need cannot be considered in to the area. This includes taking into isolation. To respond to this, the account the impact of economic growth in 4 relationship between housing and economic the area on the need for new housing. growth has been a consideration in both 7 The Planning Practice Guidance (PPG), the development of the SHMA and the produced to supplement the NPPF, sets out Council’s Economic Growth and that the starting point for considering the Employment Land Study (EGELS). Where level of household need in an area is the relevant, the EGELS is referred to in this most recent Department for Communities paper. and Local Government (DCLG) household 11 The PPG sets out that market signals forecasts. It also requires that LPAs produce should be taken into account in establishing a Strategic Housing Market Assessment how much housing should be provided. (SHMA) to assess the full level of housing These indicators cover issues around price, need in the area. In addition to assessing such as the changing affordability of housing need, it also requires that we housing and the price of rents, but also Housing produce a Strategic Housing Land quantity of supply, such as overcrowding in Availability Assessment (SHLAA) to establish and rates of supply. An appropriate range the availability, suitability and viability of of indicators is analysed in this paper. housing land in the area that could make Growth a contribution to meeting the identified - 12 National policy dictates that LPAs level of housing need. should identify sufficient housing sites to meet housing need. Therefore, related to 8 Milton Keynes Council has produced this Topic Paper on how much new housing Plan:MK both of these documents and they inform | is needed is the paper on the Development the discussion set out in the rest of this Strategy which looks at issues around how paper and other Topic Papers. and where Milton Keynes could grow to Council accommodate its housing need. This includes looking at the need for new strategic (large) sites and the expansion of Keynes the city. Milton A - Overall Housing Figure - Policy Background Sub-Regional Local 13 Although regional plans were abolished by the Government in 2012, their legacy remains. In Milton Keynes, there was an assumption in the South East Plan (SEP) that over 2,000 new homes per year should be built in the Borough. This was largely based on Milton Keynes making a significant contribution to meet the wider needs of the south east region. This level of housing has proved undeliverable over recent years, a period which has coincided with a severe economic downturn. 14 There is no longer a regional or sub regional housing target that we need to 15 Milton Keynes Council only adopted plan for.