Agenda item

To receive an update from Andrew Longley on the Local Plan Part 1.

Andrew Longley and Matthew Ellis presented an update on the LPP1 review with a PowerPoint summarising the report.

It was highlighted there was a requirement to update the Local Plan every five years and that LPP1 was now due for review.  Following a Full Council meeting in February it was agreed ‘Having undertaken a review of LPP1 … the Council resolves that LPP1 requires updating and instructs officers to explore all options including updating the plan immediately to make it broadly compliant with the latest NPPF (noting that the housing numbers produced by the new “Standard Method” are a starting point only) and taking particular account of any Habitat Regulations constraints on an increase in housing numbers, followed by a more detailed update of LPP1 and LPP2 together to produce a single Local Plan at a later date…’.

An external review had been carried out by DAC Planning and recommendations were made.

Two options had been put forward which was:

a.    Comprehensive update of the Local Plan.

b.    Partial alteration to the adopted LPP1 to address housing supply and related matters.

Officers advised that the initial focus would be to gather evidence and the pros and cons of each option were outlined.  Officers recommendation was for option a as there was a high risk of us failing examination with option b.

The next steps and potential timetables were outlined.

Cllr Jerry Hyman had registered to speak and advised he had concerns regarding the timescales for the comprehensive review. He advised the agreement at full council had been for a minimal review not a full one and it would be important to apply Waverley constraints first in order to ascertain how many houses could be justified.  He suggested two working groups be established to look at the challenge toolkit and this review.

Members discussed the comments and felt officers should apply the council’s constraints and get the numbers that could realistically be achieved and put forward our own Local Housing Need numbers. Officers advised that the constraints was certainly something that would be carried out as a priority and Waverley would not just accept the numbers the council had been given but provide evidence of what is achievable. The committee also raised concern about the unmet housing need from neighbouring authorities that is forced upon the council and felt this should not be accepted and argued against. Officers advised that paragraphs 7.16-7.18 explain these issues and how they will be addressed.

Members also raised the issue regarding the affordable housing numbers provided after applications are approved as developers often come forward with viability studies after approval indicating the affordable housing cannot be accommodated.

The Committee also discussed the impact this review may have on Neighbourhood Plans. It was requested that going forward the discussions on housing numbers and spatial strategy should be conveyed to all neighbourhood groups as soon as they are available.

The Committee NOTED the proposed recommendations to the Executive on the approach to updating the Local Plan and developing an detailed work programme for the comprehensive update, and agreed that the Executive should additionally consider:

1.    A reinforcement of the importance of the Development Plan

2.    A robust defence of a lower figure using a local calculation of the Local Housing Need.

3.    The Housing figures and spatial strategy to be shared with Neighbourhood Plan groups at the earliest convenience.

4.    Robust policies about delivering Affordable Housing on approved schemes to mitigate developers bringing forward viability studies after approval has been given.