Housing Strategy

Question 1

What does SHLAA stand for?

Answer 1

Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment

Question 2

What is the importance of 5 year land supply?

Answer 2

If a council can not show a five year land supply then there should a presumption in favour of sustainable development as noted in Paragraph 11 of the NPPF unless:

i. the application of policies in this Framework that protect areas or assets of particular importance provides a clear reason for refusing the development proposed;

ii. or ii. any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against the policies in this Framework taken as a whole.

Question 3

What is a SHMA

Answer 3

A Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) is an assessment of future housing requirements in an area.

Question 4

How do local authorities ensure that they are keeping track on their land supply ?

Answer 4

Annual delivery test
Annual position statement

Question 5

What is the annual position?

Answer 5

The Annual position statement is a document setting out the 5 year land supply on the 1st of April each year prepared in consultation with Developers, land owners etc.

Question 6

What is an housing delivery test?

Answer 6

Housing Delivery Test is an annual measurement of housing delivery in the area of relevant plan-making authorities.

𝐻𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐷𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑇𝑒𝑠𝑡 (%) =

𝑛𝑒𝑡 ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑑/ 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑑

Question 7

How do local authorities identify sites for their Local Plans?

Answer 7

SHLAA

Question 8

What is the process of putting a SHLAA together ?

Answer 8

Stage 1 – Identification of sites
Stage 2- site/ broad location assessment
Stage 3- Windfall assessment (where necessary)
Stage 4- Assessment review
Stage 5- Final evidence base

Question 9

What is a five year land supply?

Answer 9

A 5 year land supply is a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide 5 years’ worth of housing (and appropriate buffer) against a housing requirement set out in adopted strategic policies, or against a local housing need figure, using the standard method, as appropriate in accordance with paragraph 73

Question 10

How can an authority demonstrate a 5 year supply of deliverable housing sites?

Answer 10

In plan-making, strategic policies should identify a 5 year housing land supply from the intended date of adoption of the plan.

For decision-taking purposes, an authority will need to be able to demonstrate a 5 year housing land supply when dealing with applications and appeals. They can do this in one of two ways:

using the latest available evidence such as a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA), Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA), or an Authority Monitoring Report (AMR);

‘confirming’ the 5 year land supply using a recently adopted plan or through a subsequent annual position statement (as set out in paragraph 74 of the National Planning Policy Framework).

Question 11

What is a local plan

Answer 11

Local Plans, prepared by a local planning authority in consultation with its community, set out a vision and a framework for the future development of an area. Once in place, Local Plans become part of the statutory development plan. The statutory development plan for the area is the starting point for determining local planning applications.

Question 12

What constitutes a ‘deliverable’ housing site in the context of plan-making and decision-taking?

Answer 12

Sites with planning permission

firm progress being made towards the submission of an application- pre-app

Outline planning permission

Clear relevant information about site viability, ownership constraints or infrastructure provision, such as successful participation in bids for large-scale infrastructure funding or other similar projects.

Question 13

What are the key components in a SHMA

Answer 13

Planning policy considerations

Market signals (Local house prices, waiting list, rental value, Agent consultation, affordability ratios and housing completions).

Future housing need and population growth (OAN)

Affordable housing need- Salaries, house prices and rental values

Housing mix

Older person need

Private rented sctor

Student housing

Question 14

What is a annual position statement

Answer 14

A document setting out the 5 year housing land supply position on 1st April each year, prepared by the local planning authority in consultation with developers and others who have an impact on delivery.

Question 15

What is included in Local plans

Answer 15

This should include policies to deliver:

housing, including affordable homes;

retail, leisure and other commercial development;

infrastructure for transport, minerals, waste, energy,

telecoms, water supply and sewage treatment;

education, health, police and community facilities;

energy, including from renewable sources;

protection and enhancement of the natural and historic environment, including landscape, wildlife, open space, listed buildings and archaeology; and

protection of homes and property from flooding from rivers and the sea.

Question 16

What must Local plans do ?

Answer 16

Plan positively for the development and infrastructure required in the area to meet the objectives, principles and policies of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Be drawn up over an appropriate time scale, preferably a 15-year time horizon, take account of longer term requirements, and be kept up to date.

Indicate broad locations for strategic development on a key diagram and land use designations (e.g. nature reserves) on a proposals map.

Allocate sites to promote development and other uses of land, providing detail on form, scale, access and the amount of development where appropriate.

Identify areas where it may be necessary to limit freedom to change the uses of buildings.

Identify land which it is genuinely important to protect from development, for instance because of its environmental or historic value.

Contain a clear strategy for the environmental enhancement of the area.

Question 17

What are the components to the Housing Delivery Test ?

Answer 17

If delivery has been less than 95% the local planning authority should prepare an Action Plan to address the reason for the shortfall;

If delivery has been less than 85% the local planning authority should include a 20% buffer in calculating its five-year housing land supply; and

If delivery has been less than 75% the presumption in favour is applied.

Question 18

What is the GLA desired tenure mix for affordable homes?

Answer 18

70% social rent and 30% shared ownership

Question 19

How would a developer promote land for planning for housing on greenfield land?

Answer 19

1. planning promotion agreement
2. written representation in call for sites
3. submit planning application
4. Appeal
5. Decision- Purchase or sell and split profit with landowner

Question 20

Why did West Byfleet require additional affordable Housing?

Answer 20

As it was a greenfield site

Question 21

What is SPD and DPD?

Answer 21

A Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) provides greater details on the Council’s policies set out in the Development Plan Documents (DPDs) or other higher level planning documents. In summary, SPDs provide guidance on local planning matters and they can be quicker and simpler to prepare than DPDs.

Question 22

Name a time you utilised local plan to advise a site mix?

Answer 22

West Byfleet – I reviewed a scheme sent to us by an agent and had to determine the basis of the scheme we were to bid on. To do this I reviewed the allocation for the site, local affordable housing policy and the local plan to determine the number of units and expected mix. As this site was a greenfield site it meant that rather than the normal 40% affordable housing requirement it was 50%, which I included for in the mix I produced. I also noted the expected unit types in the local plan and ensured our scheme mirrored this. Further to this I reviewed housing in the area and determined that houses larger than NDSS were required due the expectation of the affluent market in that area.