The Chairman to respond to any questions received from Members in accordance with Procedure Rule 11.
The deadline for receipt of questions is 5pm on Tuesday 29 January 2019.
The following question has been received from Cllr David Beaman:
“Are WBC aware that following representations made by Guildford Borough Council that Planning Inspector Jonathan Bore has agreed to reopen the public hearings which had closed in July for 2 days on 12th and 13th February to hear new evidence that Guildford's housing requirement should be significantly reduced based on revised population forecasts released in October by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). If these new hearings result in Guildford's housing allocation, which like Waverley's housing allocation includes meeting some unmet need from Woking, is reduced significantly then should not WBC also insist on an early review of its housing allocation numbers especially given the implications it could have on the proposed cross boundary development at Ockford Ridge and the basis on which the appeal against development of land West of Folly Hill has been allowed. Click on the following link for further details :-
https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/date-set-new-local-plan-15580184 “
The following response has been provided by the Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy and Customer Services:
“In the Examination of the Waverley Borough Local Plan Part 1, it was the 2014-based household projections, (published in 2016), that were used by the inspector as the demographic starting point for identifying Waverley’s housing need, as these were the most up-to-date household projections available at the time.
Since then the 2016 Household Projections have been released as well as new national planning policy in the form of an update to the NPPF, published in July 2018. The new 2018 NPPF sets out a standard method for calculating the housing requirement. The Government recently consulted on some proposed changes to the NPPF relating to how Councils should calculate their housing requirement. They are proposing in the short term that Councils must use the 2014-based household projections. They are also proposing to make it clear that the 2016 household projections are not a reason to justify lower housing need. This is because the government does not consider that the 2016 household projections will deliver the number of homes that are needed and will not tackle house price affordability.
The Guildford Local Plan Examination is affected by the transitional arrangements regarding the application of the new NPPF. Because it was submitted when it was, it is being examined under the 2012 NPPF rather that the 2018 NPPF. As with the Waverley Plan, the Inspector wanted to have regard to the most up to date demographic projections. Because the 2016-based projections were published during the Examination of the Guildford Local Plan, the Council was, therefore, asked by the Inspector to comment on their implications. The Inspector has since decided to have two further Examination hearings on 12th and 13th February. The Inspector has set out the matters he wants to discuss at these further hearings. His note covers the appropriateness of using the 2016-based projections for Guildford’s Plan and goes on to pose a number of questions that presumably will form the basis of the discussion at the sessions on 12th and 13th February.
In his note, the Inspector has commented that the recent Government consultation regarding the continued use of the 2014-based projections has been directed at plans using the standard method for calculating the housing need rather than plans like Guildford’s, that are being examined under the old policies in the 2012 NPPF.
You have asked if the outcome of the Guildford examination is that the housing requirement is reduced, should Waverley Borough Council not also insist on an early review of its housing allocation. If the Council wanted to revisit its housing requirement then this would need to be through a review of the Local Plan. Such a review would be outside the transitional arrangements that affect Guildford and any new plan would, therefore, be assessed against the 2018 NPPF and the application of the Standard Method. The recent consultation on proposed changes to the NPPF, make it clear that pending a more detailed review of the Standard Method, the Government’s intention is for Plans examined under the 2018 NPPF is to use the 2014-based projections to determine need rather than the 2016-based projections.”
Minutes:
A question had been received from Cllr David Beaman, Farnham Castle Ward:
“Are WBC aware that following representations made by Guildford Borough Council that Planning Inspector Jonathan Bore has agreed to reopen the public hearings which had closed in July for 2 days on 12th and 13th February to hear new evidence that Guildford's housing requirement should be significantly reduced based on revised population forecasts released in October by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). If these new hearings result in Guildford's housing allocation, which like Waverley's housing allocation includes meeting some unmet need from Woking, is reduced significantly then should not WBC also insist on an early review of its housing allocation numbers especially given the implications it could have on the proposed cross boundary development at Ockford Ridge and the basis on which the appeal against development of land West of Folly Hill has been allowed. Click on the following link for further details :-
https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/date-set-new-local-plan-15580184 “
The following response has been provided by the Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy and Customer Services:
“In the Examination of the Waverley Borough Local Plan Part 1, it was the 2014-based household projections, (published in 2016), that were used by the inspector as the demographic starting point for identifying Waverley’s housing need, as these were the most up-to-date household projections available at the time.
Since then the 2016 Household Projections have been released as well as new national planning policy in the form of an update to the NPPF, published in July 2018. The new 2018 NPPF sets out a standard method for calculating the housing requirement. The Government recently consulted on some proposed changes to the NPPF relating to how Councils should calculate their housing requirement. They are proposing in the short term that Councils must use the 2014-based household projections. They are also proposing to make it clear that the 2016 household projections are not a reason to justify lower housing need. This is because the government does not consider that the 2016 household projections will deliver the number of homes that are needed and will not tackle house price affordability.
The Guildford Local Plan Examination is affected by the transitional arrangements regarding the application of the new NPPF. Because it was submitted when it was, it is being examined under the 2012 NPPF rather that the 2018 NPPF. As with the Waverley Plan, the Inspector wanted to have regard to the most up to date demographic projections. Because the 2016-based projections were published during the Examination of the Guildford Local Plan, the Council was, therefore, asked by the Inspector to comment on their implications. The Inspector has since decided to have two further Examination hearings on 12th and 13th February. The Inspector has set out the matters he wants to discuss at these further hearings. His note covers the appropriateness of using the 2016-based projections for Guildford’s Plan and goes on to pose a number of questions that presumably will form the basis of the discussion at the sessions on 12th and 13th February.
In his note, the Inspector has commented that the recent Government consultation regarding the continued use of the 2014-based projections has been directed at plans using the standard method for calculating the housing need rather than plans like Guildford’s, that are being examined under the old policies in the 2012 NPPF.
You have asked if the outcome of the Guildford examination is that the housing requirement is reduced, should Waverley Borough Council not also insist on an early review of its housing allocation. If the Council wanted to revisit its housing requirement then this would need to be through a review of the Local Plan. Such a review would be outside the transitional arrangements that affect Guildford and any new plan would, therefore, be assessed against the 2018 NPPF and the application of the Standard Method. The recent consultation on proposed changes to the NPPF, make it clear that pending a more detailed review of the Standard Method, the Government’s intention is for Plans examined under the 2018 NPPF is to use the 2014-based projections to determine need rather than the 2016-based projections.”