Agenda item

The Planning Policy Manager presented an overview of two key housing delivery performance measures: the national Housing Delivery Test and the process for preparing a Five Year Land Supply Statement.  He explained how the targets were worked out and the consequences of not meeting the targets.

Councillor N Pearce asked if there were any consequences for over-delivery against the housing delivery targets.

The Planning Policy Manager explained that there was no reward for over-delivery and there was a risk that significant over-delivery would make it more difficult to deliver sufficient numbers in future years as it would use up future land supply. 

The Planning Policy Manager explained in detail how the five-year land supply was worked out.  He stated that the Council’s affordability uplift was 38% which was almost the maximum that could be applied.

The Chairman stated that she had been approached by other Councils with a high number of second homes to look at a business rates challenge, and that whilst North Norfolk had the third highest number of second homes in the country, none of those Councils had an affordability uplift as high as North Norfolk’s. 

Councillor Mrs P Grove-Jones asked how the targets could be achieved if developers did not build out their permissions. 

The Planning Policy Manager explained that allocations would need to be made in areas which were attractive to developers, rather than on strategic sites which could take many years to develop.   At the time of the previous housing crash the Authority had introduced a Housing Incentive Scheme which relaxed the requirement for affordable homes to incentivise developers to build.

The Planning Policy Manager explained that there were concerns that the Government’s household projection figure on which the land supply calculations were based was flawed, which meant that North Norfolk would need to plan for more dwellings than necessary.  He recommended that independent advice be sought on this matter prior to publication of the land supply statement.

The Chairman added that one of the reasons why it was worth seeking independent expertise was that the inward migration trend for 2016 was headed downwards and it was felt that there was a need to test the figures as it would have significant impact going forward.  The Council was being asked to base its targets on figures where evidence was emerging that the figure could be wrong.

Councillor Mrs W Fredericks asked if pension income had been taken into account when calculating the affordability uplift.

The Planning Policy Manager explained that median earnings and median house prices were published by the Government.  He considered that pension income would be included in the calculation but this was national evidence and would be applied consistently across the country.

Councillor Mrs P Grove-Jones supported the suggestion to seek independent evidence with regard to migration figures provided that the consultant had no Government connection.

The Planning Policy Manager stated that the consultants who had undertaken the Strategic Housing Market Assessment would be commissioned to do the work.

Councillor A Brown expressed his concern that there seemed to be a “one size fits all” policy from the Government and concerns had been raised at the LGA regarding second homes.  He was surprised that there was no weighting which took into account second homes to ensure that the Council’s targets were more realistic.

The Planning Policy Manager explained that there was a risk attached to arguing the issue regarding second homes, as it could result in a further uplift for second homes as they were not available for people to live in. 

The Chairman stated that as a result of the discussion at the LGA a learning group had been set up to share good practice.  South Hams had done a modelling exercise around loss of income to the Council from people claiming business rates on second homes and then claiming an exemption as a small business.  The model would be used by other Councils and a joint cross-party submission would be made to the Housing Minister.

It was proposed by Councillor Ms V Gay, seconded and

RESOLVED

1.          That the Council seeks independent advice on the potential impacts of Un-attributable Population Change on projected housing growth in the District prior to publishing this year’s land supply statement.

2.          That pending receipt and consideration of this advice the Council continues to give full weight to adopted planning policies dealing with housing supply when determining planning applications.