Housing Strategy and Provision Flashcards
What factors influence difference in demand for different housing types?
Demographics– students, elderly population – accessible homes
Income– less affluent areas with lower disposable income, tender to be higher demand for smaller homes
School catchment areas – If a site is within the catchment area for Outstanding Ofsted rated schools, there tends to be a higher demand for family homes
Proximity to transport connections – particularly within London, less demand for cars
Political changes
What is the difference for assessing housing needs inside and outside of London?
- Housing affordability and types - generally lower prices outside London
- Transport and connectivity - car dependence
- Population
- Local employment
- Planning and development policies
What other factors influence supply and demand for housing?
Fiscal Policy Changes
How do political changes influence supply and demand for housing?
How do economic conditions influence supply and demand for housing?
What key methods are uses to source suitable sites for development?
SHMA
SHLAA
Call for sites
What in the purpose of SHMA? How often are they undertaken?
LPA required to produce SHMA as required under the NPPF.
Should assess the full housing needs within an area and the future scale of and mix of housing requirements.
First stage of Local Plan preparation.
Primary objective:
1. Identify forthcoming housing requirements - including types, sizes and tenures.
2. Identify land required for development
3. Give a breakdown of the land requirements in terms of location and quality
4. General market will be assessment, which may identify smaller areas that have specific features or require further assessment
What does SHLAA stand for and what is it?
Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment - study of sites which have the potential to accommodate development. Assesses, site, constraints, potential no of dwellings and timeline for when site might be developed.
Determine the quality, availability and suitability of potential sites and is a robust indication of housing capacity to inform plan making and the identification of a 5 year land supply.
What does SHMA stand for?
Strategic Housing Market Assessment
What is the process for SHLAA and what type of sites can be included?
Authorities will make a Call for Sites - land owners / interested parties will provide information on site, ownership, constraints, potential capacity, planning and timescales for delivery.
Site will need to meet threshold (size or capacity, usually 5+ homes).
Does not mean that a site will be allocated. Can includes sites:
1. Already under construction but further homes are to be delivered
2. Have planning but not under construction
3. Site allocations
4. Unallocated sites but identified or being promoted as suitable for development
Updated periodically as status of sites change, such as time lapse of planning permission.
Who carries out SHMA in London?
In London, boroughs are not required to carry out their own SHMA. They should instead use the London Plan SHMA and housing requirements in the London Plan.
However, boroughs do carry out their own SHMA to inform housing needs (size, mix, tenure). Under scrutiny as Local Plans require general conformity with the London Plan.
How does SHLAA help in determining a site allocation?
How do local authorities ensure that they are keeping track on their land supply ?
What is the importance of 5 year land supply?
What is an housing delivery test?
What is the annual position?
How do local authorities identify sites for their Local Plans?
What is the process of putting a SHLAA together ?
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
What is a five year land supply?
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 of the NPPF
How can an authority demonstrate a 5 year supply of deliverable housing sites?
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).
What constitutes a ‘deliverable’ housing site in the context of plan-making and decision-taking?
What are the key components in a SHMA?
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
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.
What must Local plans do?
- Contribute to the achievement of sustainable development - development and infrastructure required in the area to meet the objective, principles and policies in the NPPF
- Be prepared positively, in a way that is aspirational but deliverable
- Shaped by all stakeholders
- Clearly written and unambiguous policies – evident how a decision maker should react to development proposals
- Accessible via digital tools
- Clear purpose and avoid duplication of policies
- Have 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.
What is included in Local plans?
The plan defines:
PS HAIL RM
- Priorities for an areas
- Strategic policies
- Housing needs - including affordable homes
- A framework for neighbourhood plans
- Infrastructure requirements - for transport, minerals, waste, energy
- Land allocations - residential, retail, leisure, other commercial development
- Requirements for safeguarding the environment
- protecting and enhancement of 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. - Measurements for adapting to climate change
- energy including renewable sources
What is SPD and DPD?
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.
How would a developer promote land for planning for housing on greenfield land?
planning promotion agreement
written representation in call for sites
submit planning application
Appeal
Decision- Purchase or sell and split profit with landowner
What are the components to the Housing Delivery Test ?
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.
What is a Local Plan and what is the purpose of one?
A plan for the future development of a local area over a 15 year time horizon. It is produced by the at least one local (aka district) planning authority with consultation from the community. In law aka development plan.
The plan defines ( PS HAIL RM):
- Priorities for an areas
- Strategic policies
- Housing needs
- A framework for neighbourhood plans
- INFRASTRCUTRE REQUIREMENTS
- Land allocations
- REQUIREMENTS FOR SAFEGUARDING THE ENVIROMENT
- MEASUREMENTS FOR ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE
Local plans are also the starting-point for considering whether planning applications should be approved
The plan can contain both strategic AND / OR non-strategic polices.
These policies should be illustrated geographically on a policies map.
What are the requirements of plans?
CP CA CA
- Contribute to achieving sustainable development
- Positively prepared - aspirational but achievable
- Clearly written and unambiguous
- Accessible via digital tools
- Clear purpose
- Avoid duplication of policies
What makes a Local Plan sound?
If a plan is sound it has been prepared in accordance with legal and procedural requirements and if they are “sound”.
- Positively prepared – strategy which as a minimum needs the areas objectively assessed needs
- Justified – appropriate strategy, reasonable alternatives
- Effective - deliverable over planning period
- Consistent with national policy – NPPF and other national policy
How is a Local Plan prepared?
The NPPF provides a framework within which locally-prepared plans can provide for sufficient housing and other development in a sustainable manner.
How often is a Local Plan Updated?
Depend to some extent on the nature of the local area, but local plans are likely to be updated, at least in part, every five years.
They need to reflect any changes including relevant changes to National policy.
Relevant strategic polices need updating at least once ever 5 years if the applicable local housing need figure has changed significantly
Who is responsible for preparing a Local Plan?
Local planning authority. Seek consultation from the community
Who determines planning applications?
The LPA - can be the Planning Inspector or a Planning Committee
What documents does the local planning policy framework include?
Local Plans
Site Allocation Documents
SHMA
Infrastructure Delivery Plan Documents
Neighbourhood Plans
How do you identify key focus areas for Clarion?
To identify local authorities to focus on:
- Clarion will only seek new opportunity in Local Authorities where it currently has stock, unless it is a very large opportunity or is a corridor through between two LAs with stock as it needs to have the Housing Management resource to be able to serve new homes. I review Clarion’s existing c.125,000 homes are mapped out on the 2040 roadmap to check CHAL has stock in a LA.
- Liase with Housing Management to check the LA’s NOMS requirement. Clarion will not accept 100% NOMS in perpetuity
- Once LA is deemed acceptable I will review of both the adopted and emerging local plans to identify any site allocations which will deliver 100+ units.
- Check the status of these sites on Land Insight. Ownership, Planning and Under Construction.
- Tend to focus on Local Authorities meet the HM’s requirements and have a site allocations which are not yet delivered.
Particular focus on Local Authorities where the LA actually owns sites that are allocated for Residential. E.g., Plymouth
Also a preference for LAs with higher CIL rates
Can you give me an example of a Local Authorities policy you have reviewed?
Brighton and Hove
Stock – 185 homes
NOMS – no issue
Relationship with LA - good
Affordable Housing Policy
- 40% affordable housing on site for sites which will deliver 15+ units
- 25% First Homes
- 20% Intermediate
- 55% Affordable Rent
Surrey Heath
Stock - 64 units
NOMS - acceptable
Relationship with LA - good
Affordable Housing Policy
Current -Core Strategy and Development Management Policies 2011 - 2018 (adopted 2018)
- 35% affordable
- 50% social rent
- 50% intermediate
Draft Local Plan - withdrawn - back to Reg-18 but was
- 40% affordable
- 25% First Homes
- Remainder to be determined by HNA
What is the difference between an emerging and adopted local plan?
Emerging Local Plan is a draft plan published by the LPA for consultation As it is still in the consultation stage it is subject to change.
An adopted Local Plan has been through the examination process and has been found to be sound by an independent inspector.
What is CIL and its purpose?
Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a planning charge that can be levied by local authorities on new development in their area. It is an important tool for local authorities to use to help them deliver the infrastructure needed to support development in their area.
The CIL is used to fund local and sub-regional infrastructure that benefits the area where it was raised and will operate alongside contributions made under s.106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
How is CIL calculated?
based on the gross internal area of the development and is charged per square metre
Who sets the CIL rates?
The CIL is a statutory charge that is set by the local authority and is based on the size and type of development being proposed
What is the Homes England Dynamic Purchasing System?
a procurement framework that allows housebuilders and developers experienced in residential development to bid for sites owned by Homes England or other public sector bodies
How did you determine appropriate heights and massing (Camberley)?
What is a viability assessment?
What is the Surrey Heath Housing Needs Assessment?
Can you summarise the findings of the Surrey Heath Housing Needs Assessment?
What mix did you provide (at Camberley)?
Why is it important to consider a sites location in this case (Camberley)?
What affordable provision did you suggest (Camberley)?
Why would further discussions with the LPA be needed (Camberley)?
Can you give me an example of a Local Authorities policy you have reviewed?
What is the NPPF?
Set out the government’s planning policies for England and provide expectations of how these are to be applied.
The NPPF provides a framework within which locally-prepared plans can provide for sufficient housing and other development in a sustainable manner.
What are strategic policies?
Set an overall strategy for the Pattern, Quality Scale and Design a of places and make sufficient provision for different uses e.g., housing, employment, community uses.
They should look ahead over a minimum 15-year period from adoption.
Strategic policies are policies and site allocations which address strategic priorities in line with the requirements of section 19(1B-E) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.
What are non-strategic policies?
Non-strategic policies are policies contained in a neighbourhood plan, or those policies in a local plan that are not strategic policies. They set out more detailed policies for specific areas.
What regulations need to be considered when preparing a Local Plan?
National Planning Policy Framework - describes the evidence that should be gathered when preparing a local plan and the approach they should adopt
The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and
Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 set out matters that should be considered when preparing a local plan and prescribe their form and content.
What is a sustainability appraisal
evaluates the social, economic, and environmental impacts of strategies and policies in a Local Plan to assess to what extent they align with sustainable development objectives
What needs to be considered when preparing a local plan
The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 - prescribe form and content
National Planning Policy Framework - evidence gathering and approach
Sustainability appraisal
Potential a habitats regulation assessment if it thought the plan will impact on certain habitats or species
Duty to cooperate - with neighboring authorities and certain other public bodies
Community and statutory consultation is required
Draft must be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for examination
Test of soundness for more information.
What does the NPPF say in a local plan is not present in an area?
NPPF states that If a plan is absent, silent or out of date, permission for planning applications should be granted, unless there are significant and demonstrable reasons not to grant permission.
Presumption in favour of sustainable development (paragraph 11d)
Where there are no relevant development plan policies or the policies which are most important for determining the application are out-of-date granting permission unless:
- Application of policies in the NPPF provides clear reasons for refusal
- Adverse impact would significantly outweigh the benefits
What is a neighbourhood plan?
- A plan prepared by a parish council or neighbourhood forum for a designated neighbourhood area
- subject to an independent examination and a vote by the local community in a referendum.
- Only a neighbourhood plan or order that appropriately fits with local strategic and national policies and complies with important legal conditions may be put to a referendum.
When it has passed examination and achieved successful local support through referendum and is then formally ‘made’ by the LPA, - part of ‘development plan’ used by the LPA in deciding planning applications
What is submitted along with the draft local plan for inspection and what regulation stage is this?
Reg 22 - Plan submitted for independent examination. Includes:
1. Draft Local Plan
2. Representations
3. Sustainability appraisal
4. Evidence base
5. Main issues
What does the independent inspector check when assessing local plan?
If it has been prepared in line with duty to cooperate and legal requirement and whether the plan is found to be sound
