1.0 Background 1.1 Paragraph 47 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires Councils to “identify and update annually a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide five years worth of housing against their housing requirements with an additional buffer of 5% (moved from later in the plan period) to ensure choice and competition in the market for land. Where there has been a record of persistent under delivery of housing, local planning authorities should increase the buffer to 20% (moved from later in the plan period) to provide a realistic prospect of achieving the planned supply and to ensure choice and competition in the market for land” 1.2 This report looks at whether there are sufficient deliverable housing sites in Boston Borough to meet requirements between 1st October 2016 and 30th September 2021. ---------- 2.0 What are Boston Borough’s 5 year housing requirements? 2.1 Paragraph 30 of the Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) indicates that “housing requirement figures in up-to-date adopted Local Plans should be used as the starting point for calculating the five year supply.” Although the adopted Boston Borough Local Plan (April 1999) contains housing requirement figures, they cannot be considered up-to-date. The production of the South East Lincolnshire Local Plan is not yet sufficiently advanced for its draft housing figures to carry significant weight. 2.2 In these circumstances, the PPG indicates that “information provided in the latest full assessment of housing needs should be considered”. A Strategic Housing Market Assessment for Boston Borough was completed in July 2015, and identified a requirement for 7,550 new homes to be built between 2011 and 2036 (an average of 302 per annum). Over a five-year period, this equates to 1,510 homes. 2.3 Table 1 shows that, in the last five and a half years, the number of new homes built has fallen considerably short of this requirement. Over the whole period, this shortfall amounts to 911 homes. Planning Practice Guidance states that local planning authorities should aim to deal with any undersupply within the first five years of the local plan period where possible. Since the first five years of the South East Lincolnshire Local Plan period has passed, it is intended to address this shortfall in the following five years. Incorporating this shortfall, Boston Borough’s five-year requirement would increase to 2,421 (1,510 + 911). Table 1 – Net housing completions in Boston Borough (1st April 2011 – 30th Sept 2016) Period Requirement Net Shortfall completions 2011/12 302 91 211 2012/13 302 64 238 2013/14 302 175 127 2014/15 302 109 193 2015/16 302 180 122 1.4.16 – 30.9.16 151 131 20 TOTAL 1,661 750 911 2.4 Housing completions in 2009/10 and 2010/11 were similarly low (averaging 112 per year), and it would be difficult to argue that such figures over a seven and a half year period do not amount to “a record of persistent under delivery”. Consequently (and in accordance with the Government policy quoted in paragraph 1.1) it is considered that a 20% buffer should be applied. On this basis, the five-year requirement becomes 2,905 (2,421 x 1.2). ---------- 3.0 What is Boston Borough’s deliverable housing supply? 3.1 Footnote 11 of the NPPF indicates that, “to be considered deliverable, sites should be available now, offer a suitable location for residential development now, and be achievable with a realistic prospect that housing will be delivered on the site within five years and in particular that the development of the site is viable. Sites with planning permission should be considered deliverable until permission expires, unless there is clear evidence that schemes will not be implemented within five years, for example they will not be viable, there is no longer a demand for the type of units or sites have long term phasing plans.” 3.2 Boston Borough Council considers that, taking account of the above definition, the following types of sites may contribute to deliverable supply: sites where development has begun; sites with full planning permission, where development has not yet begun; sites with outline planning permission; sites where there is a resolution to grant planning permission; and sites which are allocated in a Local Plan. 3.3 Paragraph 31 of the PPG indicates that “local planning authorities will need to provide robust, up to date evidence to support the deliverability of sites, ensuring that their judgements on deliverability are clearly and transparently set out.” The Appendix to this report identifies all the sites that the Borough Council considers contribute to deliverable supply, and identifies how many new homes the Council expects each site to deliver up to 30th September 2021. 3.4 Table 2 summarises the detailed information set out in the Appendix, and shows that the total supply of specific deliverable sites amounts to 1,877 dwellings. Table 2 – Deliverable housing supply (as at 30th Sept 2016) Type of site Number of dwellings which are expected to be completed between 1st October 2016 and 30th September 2021 Sites where development has 748 begun Sites with full planning permission, where development 418 has not yet begun Sites with outline planning 597 permission Sites where there is a resolution 114 to grant planning permission Sites which are allocated in a 0 Local Plan TOTAL 1,877 ---------- 4.0 Can Boston Borough meet the 5-year housing target? 4.1 Table 3 compares Boston Borough’s housing requirement with its deliverable supply, and shows that there are insufficient deliverable housing sites in Boston Borough to meet requirements between 1st October 2016 and 30th September 2021. Table 3 – Comparison of the housing requirement and deliverable supply (30th Sept 2016) Requirement Five year requirement 2,905 Supply Supply of deliverable housing 1,877 sites 5-year Land Supply Results Shortfall 1,028 Supply (years) 3.2 Supply (%) 64.6% Appendix – All sites potentially contributing to deliverable supply (30th September 2016) Address Planning Total Number of application remaining dwellings reference capacity expected to be built by 30th September 2021 Sites where development has begun Crossgates Farm, Algarkirk B/06/0204 1 1 Saxham House, Marsh Lane, Algarkirk B/07/0060 1 1 Royal Cottage, Ings Lane, Benington B/07/0534 1 1 Sea End Farm, Benington B/07/0559 1 1 Adj. Barwell Lodge, Sea End Road, Benington B/11/0209 1 1 Haven Village, London Road, Boston B/03/0221 18 18 138-142 High Street, Boston B/03/0358 8 8 168 Woodville Road, Boston B/06/0162 1 1 Brothertoft Road, Boston B/06/0375 2 2 64 Willoughby Road, Boston B/06/0717 2 2 36 Langrick Road, Boston B/07/0205 1 1 Rear 114 Sleaford Road, Boston B/07/0447 1 1 Former Riverside Caravan Park, Boston B/07/0732 23 23 Alfred Street, Boston B/08/0077 4 4 2 Union Place, Boston B/08/0527 4 4 14-16 Spain Place, Boston B/08/0613 2 2 The Cottage, Tattershall Road, Boston B/10/0100 1 1 15-17 Wormgate, Boston B/10/0127 2 2 15A Fountain Lane, Boston B/10/0127 1 1 Greylands, Broadfield Lane, Boston B/10/0331 2 2 Jakemans, Wormgate, Boston B/10/0420 1 1 2 Fountain Lane, Boston B/11/0081 1 1 18 Spain Place, Boston B/11/0119 1 1 49 Norfolk Street, Boston B/11/0385 3 3 Jakemans, Wormgate, Boston B/11/0511 1 1 Adj. 48 Pilgrim Road, Boston B/12/0097 1 1 Rear of 146 Woodville Road, Boston B/12/0121 1 1 44-60 Park Road, Boston B/12/0136 2 2 Roseberry Meadows Extension, Boston B/14/0136 106 106 Roseberry Meadows, Boston Various 28 28 25 Haven Bank, Boston B/12/0103 4 4 Masala Zone, 77-79 West Street, Boston B/11/0395 2 2 Adj. 18 Glen Drive, Boston B/13/0353 1 1 8 Field Street, Boston B/16/0132 4 4 Rear of 172 Woodville Road, Boston B/13/0453 1 1 Rear of 4-20 Sleaford Road, Boston B/12/0145 2 2 Address Planning Total Number of application remaining dwellings reference capacity expected to be built by 30th September 2021 Sites where development has begun (continued) 42 Punchbowl Lane, Boston B/11/0150 3 3 8 Queens Road, Boston B/14/0129 1 1 77 Spilsby Road, Boston B/14/0158 1 1 Adj. 1 Argyle Street, Boston B/14/0251 8 8 88 Fenside Road, Boston B/04/0534 1 1 Off Threadneedle Street, Boston B/14/0205 4 4 Adj. 63 King Street, Boston B/13/0092 2 2 Off Sir Isaac Newton Drive, Boston B/13/0162 3 3 Studio 10 Hairdressers, 23-25 Dolphin Lane, B/14/0409 3 3 Boston 1 Towell Close, Boston B/15/0048 1 1 27 Rochford Crescent, Boston B/15/0131 1 1 Pilgrim House, 6-8 South Street, Boston B/14/0380 2 2 Rear of 89 & 91 Sydney Street, Boston B/15/0156 1 1 Phase 2, Broadfield Lane, Boston B/15/0213 75 75 South End, Boston B/15/0034 7 7 51 The Graylings, Boston B/15/0301 1 1 Off Mastins Court, Boston B/15/0291 2 2 Former DeMontfort Campus, Mill Rd, Boston B/15/0100 108 108 Plot 12, Freshney Way, Boston B/15/0460 1 1 42 Witham Bank West, Boston B/15/0258 2 2 36 Langrick Road, Boston B/16/0023 1 1 County Hall Annex, Church Close, Boston B/16/0045 9 9 Rear of 27-29 Wide Bargate, Boston B/13/0148 9 9 14 Mill Lane, Butterwick B/05/0341 1 1 Adj.