Agenda item

Decision:

 

RESOLVED: That the Housing Delivery Test Action Plan be endorsed.

 

Reason for Decision:

To ensure that the Borough Council complies with its duties as set out within the NPPF and PPG. The Housing Delivery Test Action Plan sets out a series of appropriate actions for the Borough Council to consider and explore in the short, medium and long term in an attempt to increase housing supply and delivery.

Minutes:

The LDF Manager presented a report which explained that Government changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) had introduced the Housing Delivery Test (HDT). This was a new test for Local Planning Authorities which measured the number of homes actually delivered against how many homes should have been delivered over the past three year period. Results were expressed as a percentage and this dictated the measures required or the penalties faced. The Borough Council’s result for 2018 was 91% which meant that a HDT Action Plan needed to be prepared. The Action Plan would explore housing supply and delivery in detail and provide a series of short term and long term actions for the Borough Council to consider in an attempt to increase housing supply and delivery.  

 

Councillor Pope addressed the Cabinet under Standing Order 34.  He referred to the result and commented that the Council, as a housing developer, needed to either build faster, or grant less permissions.  He also stated that currently a planning permission was valid for three years and then lapsed if no development had started he asked if options could be explored to reduce this period and suggested two years.

 

The Leader commented that the HDT Action Plan was something that that the Council had a duty to provide as it had not met the target.  He referred to comments made by Councillor Pope regarding the time limit on planning permissions, which was currently three years.  He asked officers if this was a legal requirement, or if the Council had discretion in setting the time period.  The LDF Manager explained that it was up to the Council to determine the time period, but generally it was set at three years.

 

Councillor Gidney commented that because there were so many different types of planning permission, which could sometimes be complex, he would not support reducing the time period for work to start after permission had been granted across the board.  He explained that it took time for conditions to be discharged etc. and that each application was different and timescales should be considered dependent on the application.

 

In response to a question from Councillor Lawrence, the LDF Manager commented that he was unsure what the standard amount of time was across other Norfolk Authorities.  Councillor Gidney commented that most Local Authorities had a three year period in order for development to commence before the permission lapsed.

 

The Leader referred to the comments made by Councillor Gidney and agreed that each planning permission needed to be considered individually with regards to time limits before the permission would lapse, and this was something that officers could explore in order to try and boost development.

 

RESOLVED:That the Housing Delivery Test Action Plan be endorsed.

 

Reason for Decision:

To ensure that the Borough Council complies with its duties as set out within the NPPF and PPG. The Housing Delivery Test Action Plan sets out a series of appropriate actions for the Borough Council to consider and explore in the short, medium and long term in an attempt to increase housing supply and delivery.

Supporting documents: