Archived decisions

Agenda Item 6: South East Plan - Consultation on District Level Housing Figures (Draft)

Purpose of the Note

The purpose of this note is to provide additional information in respect of the South Hampshire proposed Housing Distribution following the meeting of the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH) which took place on 19^th July, as referred to in paragraph 3.3 of the main report. The papers for the PRC meeting today were produced and published before the papers for the PUSH meeting and include an early, and very limited summary of the South Hampshire position and options. This note provides additional information and the final version of the proposed District housing numbers considered by PUSH and replaces page one of the Appendix to the PRC report. The note also advises the Committee of the outcome of the PUSH meeting to consider these matters.

Further Information on the PUSH area Options

The South East Plan strategy for South Hampshire is to realise the potential of the sub-region to improve its sustainable economic performance over the plan period and to address the needs of significant areas of social deprivation, particularly in Southampton and Portsmouth.

The key elements of this approach are:-

An economic led strategy conditional upon infrastructure provision

A target of achieving 3.5% per annum economic growth (GVA) by the final five years of the plan period

Achieving the target will require new policy interventions and public initiatives

These include providing employment land, the necessary skills and training and a wide range of supporting infrastructure

On the basis of demographic and economic forecasts provision should be made for 80,000 new homes 2006 - 2026 at an annual average of 4,000 per annum

Throughout the whole plan period priority will be given to urban regeneration and development of urban brownfield sites

However, brownfield sites alone cannot provide for the rate of house-building proposed and so some new greenfield land allocations will be needed.

Proposed Housing Phasing 2006-2026

Housing supply 2006 to 2011 will be largely met through current plans and predicted urban capacity

The period 2011 to 2016 will see a reliance on urban extensions to complement provision on urban capacity sites

From 2016 onwards many of the new homes will be built within two Strategic Development Areas (SDAs), in addition to further provision through urban capacity sites and extensions

Urban regeneration, urban renaissance, and a focus of development on the two cities and other existing urban areas are cornerstones of the overall PUSH strategy. The best estimates of 'urban capacity' are that some 38,000 new homes could be accommodated within the cities and towns over and above sites within urban areas which already have planning permission or are allocated in Local Plans, which amount to some 11,000 units. These estimates assume development at high density on some sites especially within the two cities.

The Strategic Development Areas (SDAs) will provide for housing needs of the sub-region and not just the District within which they are located. Their size, implications for infrastructure and environmental impact also makes them of sub-regional significance. Two SDAs are envisaged : one in south east Hampshire (north of Fareham) will focus on Portsmouth; the other in south west Hampshire (north east of Hedge End) will focus on Southampton. The SDAs will together contribute some 18,500 dwellings to the overall 80,000 requirement.

The remaining greenfield development will be a mix of sizeable urban extensions and smaller scale development as appropriate in each District and determined through the preparation of Local Development Documents. Here, there is a degree of choice available as to how the remaining 12,500 units should be distributed. The issue for determination at sub-regional level, is therefore the overall quantum of new development to be allocated to each local authority area. It is necessary to choose between alternative permutations/distributions, each of which sums to the same overall total. The following distributions are proposed for inclusion in the consultation documentation:-

Table 1 Options for new urban extensions (Indicative figures only)

PUSH Meeting Outcomes

Agreed to endorse the proposed housing distribution options as a basis for consultation;

Declined to express a preference between the three options.

Replacement for section in Appendix 1 of report to Cabinet

Proposed Options:

Option 1: SDAs in Eastleigh and Fareham Boroughs plus urban extensions in East Hampshire, Havant, New Forest, Test Valley and Winchester Districts.

Option 2: As Option 1 but with a greater amount of development in Winchester District but less in East Hampshire, New Forest and Test Valley.

Option 3: As Option 2 but with an even greater amount of development in Winchester District and even less in Test Valley. Development in East Hampshire as Option 1. No greenfield development in New Forest beyond existing sites.

Associated District-level figures (dwellings per annum 2006 - 2026):