Hampshire House Completions 2002 - 2003

Table 1 House Completions April 2002 - March 2003 by district

Source: County Council Housing Land Supply Monitoring reports

Table 2 House Completions April 2002 - March 2003 by Structure Plan sub-area

Source: County Council Housing Land Supply Monitoring reports

Comments from Planning Authorities on performance

2002-2003

1. Basingstoke and Deane (26% below Structure Plan baseline)

1.1 The level of housing completions within the Borough was again below the annualised baseline requirement in 2002/3 (it should be noted that the Borough has the highest housing requirement in the County). A total of 499 actual completions were achieved on large sites in the year, compared to a forecast of 568 completions in the April 2002 County Council land supply schedule. This equates to 88% of the forecast level of completions. Completions did not come forward as quickly as anticipated at Taylors Farm, Binfields and Kempshott Park. Small site completions were ahead of expectations, with 101 completions being achieved.

1.2 A number of large brownfield development sites are currently under construction within Basingstoke Town and are expected to provide completions from 2003/4 onwards. In addition, construction is now underway at Taylors Farm and Binfields and the remaining reserved matters applications for Park Village have been received. It is anticipated that approximately 950 completions could be achieved during 2003/4. There is, however, concern that the demise of LASHG and continued uncertainty over future affordable housing funding will impact on housing delivery.

1.3 The Borough Council is taking significant other steps to increase the rate of completions on the ground:

i) Revised Deposit Local Plan Review now formally extended to cover period to 2016, allocating land for full baseline plus reserve requirement to 2011, plus further 4,400 dwellings in period 2011-2016

ii) Non-completion allowance of 1,000 dwellings included within local plan -providing oversupply of housing allocations to facilitate process of "plan, monitor and manage"

iii) An annual Cabinet decision on housing land supply (the 2002 decision agreed the principle of releasing significant greenfield allocations to help meet requirements)

iv) Research into the Borough's rates of housing completions, including liaison with GOSE, HBF, housebuilders etc.

v) Reviewing procedures for major planning applications and s106 requirements, and

vi) Providing input to Government (Barker) review of housebuilding

2. Eastleigh (18% below Structure Plan baseline)

2.1 Completions in south west Hampshire 1996 - 2003 are 2,035 in excess of the Structure Plan baseline requirement (see table below). The shortfall in Eastleigh Borough has been more than made up by the level of completions elsewhere.

South West Sub Area Performance 1996-2003 Actual 96-03 SP Baseline 96-03 Actual as % of Baseline Eastleigh 2,417 2,938 82% Southampton 4,434 3,421 130% New Forest 3,238 2,558 127% Test Valley (South) 2,137 1,274 168% TOTALS 12,226 10,191 120%

2.2 The Borough Council has granted a very large number of permissions for housing in the last year (1,057 dwellings 2002/03, 218 dwellings April-June 2003). Several of the larger sites are now delivering completions at a very rapid rate (106 completions April-June 2003). We anticipate a significant increase in the number of completions this year as sites with permissions for 1,013 dwellings are currently under construction.

2.3 Additional sites are being brought forward as quickly as statutory procedures will allow in order to ensure a continuity of land supply for the next few years. However, as two of the largest of these sites are greenfield sites it will be necessary to seek the approval of the Secretary of State for their release and this is likely to result in some delay.

3. East Hampshire (17% below Structure Plan baseline)

3.1 Actual completions for East Hampshire in 2002-2003 amount to 210. This can be split between small sites - 127 and large sites - 83. The small site figure - 127  shows an encouraging increase compared to the previous three years (54, 65, 71). Completions on larger sites have been more erratic, with the 2002 -2003 figure - 83 - down on the previous 5 years. Nevertheless the Council is confident that completions will exceed 400 on large sites next year with several large Local Plan allocations now coming forward - Lord Mayor Treloar Hospital site (Alton) 183 dwellings is well advanced, Ramshill (Petersfield) now has consent for 276 and there is a current application for 233 dwellings at Chase Road, Lindford.

3.2 The measures being taken by the Council to help increase the number of dwellings in future years include:

i) Development control measures

Determining applications efficiently and speedily - East Hants performance now exceeds Government's targets

Promoting higher densities - negotiation with developers at Ramshill, Lord Mayor Treloars sites referred to above

Streamlining and speeding up S 106 Agreements

Contacting developers about timing of applications and encouraging early pre-application discussions

Training and influencing Members to take a more positive approach e.g. to the delivery of housing especially at higher densities 

ii) Policy measures

Identifying of new allocations in the Local Plan - including reserve sites;

Identifying large sites in the Urban Capacity Study to stimulate interest

Promoting higher densities of development - policies and allocations

Adopting a positive approach to exception sites for affordable housing

Preparing development briefs for allocated sites in advance of Inspector's Report

Undertaking joint working/monitoring with County Council and other Hampshire planning authorities

iii) Corporate decisions for the future

CPO action once new regulations in place

Land purchases

Release of reserve sites to meet any District shortfall

4. Portsmouth (14% below Structure Plan baseline)

4.1 Given the significant constraints on land supply throughout Portsmouth, completion rates remain relatively high and buoyant. Virtually all new housing takes place on previously-developed sites. The shortfall between actual completions and the SP 'baseline' is due entirely to the residual element of the latter carried over from the previous Structure Plan, in turn caused by low rates in the early/mid 1990s.

4.2 Completions on windfall sites account for over two-thirds of Portsmouth's total - a clear indication of the nature of the local land supply. Given the recent rates of completions, along with the ongoing number of new permissions granted (averaging over 550 dwellings per annum 1996-2003), the City Council considers that the Structure Plan housing requirement in respect of Portsmouth is being, and will continue to be, met.

8399Appdx