Archived decisions

HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND LOCAL PLAN PROGRESS

1. The position on the district council's Local Plans is as follows:-


· To date only Rushmoor Borough Council has a Local Plan adopted to 2011;


· Six planning authorities did not meet their pro-rata share of the structure plan baseline housing requirements between 1996-2002 although all expect to deliver their structure plan baseline figure by 2011;


· Five planning authorities have under 36 months supply of residential planning consents;


· All planning authorities have completed at least one urban capacity study;


· Some planning authorities have a high dependence on housing supplies from unidentified sites, i.e. sites without the benefit of planning permission or an allocation in a local plan;


· Four planning authorities have yet to identify their reserve housing provision.

2. The County Council, Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council will continue to work closely with the District Councils to achieve strategic planning objectives.

There has recently been considerable activity at national and regional level to address low house completion rates, particularly in the South East of England, and in their recent publication, the "Communities Plan" the Government has laid down the challenge to planning authorities and the development industry to deliver the number and types of dwelling required.

3. In relation to the need for a release of the reserve having housing provision, as set out under Policy 84 of the Structure Plan, the conclusion is that there is currently just sufficient land to meet requirements and that there is no immediate need to release any of the reserve. This view is endorsed by the Strategic Planning Joint Advisory Panel but it did urge all local planning authorities to take pro-active steps to manage housing land supply to meet their structure plan baseline housing requirement and make reserve provision where required. Government's expectation is that planning performance, including house completion rates, must improve. The Hampshire House Completion Study has helped direct attention to actions that can be taken to improve house-building rates in the County. There has been considerable pressure to improve at national and regional levels and completion rates are expected to rise. Housing monitoring information due later this year is likely to be the first opportunity to assess the extent to which improvements across Hampshire have been made.

4. If completion rates do not increase then the Government may intervene in the affairs of individual planning authorities. The Strategic Planning Joint Advisory Panel will receive a further report after publication and analysis of the housing monitoring information for the period ending March 2003.

KEITH B. ESTLIN

Executive Member

for Environment

8ER390803