Work on the emerging Local Plan was suspended in May, with the Council Leader signalling a return to consultation on Issues and Options in response to changing government guidance and increased housing requirements. This is happening up and down the country fuelled by the prospect of national policy change (as the Conservatives yield to the demands of constituencies in the home counties). The direction and timeframe have however been thrown into further turmoil owing to the resignation of the Prime Minister and the Conservative leadership race, so we wait and see who takes the reins.
In the interim, officers at EHDC are asking to go out for consultation on a new Supplementary Planning Document [“SPD”] on Housing Outside Settlement Boundaries. The draft SPD elaborates on Policy CP10 of the adopted Local Plan; It identifies all the potential sources of housing supply including existing permissions and completions and allocations through the JCS. The latter part of the policy recognises that in addition to the above, housing outside settlement boundaries may be permitted and expresses four tests to be applied to proposals which must be satisfied for planning permission to be granted:
-meets a community need or realises local community aspirations;
-reinforces a settlement’s role and function;
-cannot be accommodated within the built up area; and
-has been identified in an adopted Neighbourhood Plan or has clear community support as demonstrated through a process which has been agreed by the Local Planning Authority in consultation with the Parish Council.
Consultation on the draft SPD is planned to be undertaken for 6 weeks starting in August 2022 with adoption anticipated in November 2022 by Full Council.
Brett Spiller, Director of Chapman Lily Planning commented ‘Whilst clarity over the interpretation of policies such as CP10 is always welcome, this is mere tinkering whilst the bigger issue of future housing delivery and affordability are pushed back – hopefully we’ll see more inspiration in the Issues and Options document’.
For more information on what the draft SPD might mean for your landholding or project, please contact us.
Brett Spiller BA BTP MRTPI MCIWM
Director