Agenda item

This report seeks Members’ views on the proposed methodology for the City of York Housing Land Availability Assessment prior to undertaking the study.

Members received a report which sought their views on the proposed methodology for the City of York Housing Land Availability Assessment (HLAA) prior to undertaking the study.

The draft Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3) set out the following key stages to the HLAA methodology:

·  Establishing the process with partners;

·  Identifying all the settlements where housing could be provided;

·  Considering all potential sources of supply for new housing within these settlements;

·  Quantifying the supply – i.e. how many houses can these sources of supply potentially deliver;

·  Determining the likely level of windfall; and

·  Considering ‘developability’.

Having considered the draft methodology, attached at Annex A of the report, Members agreed that the document could be simplified and that clarity was needed on:

i)          the number of conversions there were in York.

ii)                 how  Changes of Use and Conversions as a potential source were determined and how those categories were defined.

iii)               why empty homes are not being used as a potential source - Councillors requested that an overall empty homes figure be included for information purposes.

iv)        the definition of primary , secondary and tertiary constraints.

v)                  where flood risk and listed buildings should fit within the constraints framework.

vi)                how the PPG17 Openspace Assessment would feed in the HLAA.

vii)              how York Northwest is being included in the process.

viii)            how the City Centre Zones could be subdivided to give more accurate potential in the City centre.

ix)                why 5% was being used as a non-implementation rate.

x)                  The phrase “developed out”, as shown in Paragraph 1.5

Members recognised that the HLAA process needed to be practical and manageable.  They also highlighted the need to restrict over development and made the following comments:

·          Appropriate sites suggested during the consultation on the Local Plan should be used to inform the process. 

·          Accessibility figures needed to reflect previous work carried out for the Local Plan.

·          Conservation areas should not be a primary constraint

·          Highway capacity should be a secondary constraint.

·          The Key on map 2 needed amending and it was suggested that pastel colours be used for zones.

·          The table on page 22 should be amended (in the identifying sites and windfalls section), as 1 ha was showing in both categories.

·          Zone Number 6 on Map 1 i.e. Foss Island,  should be known as Hungate.

·          Map 3a - f: Local Service Centres should be amended to reflect village settlement boundaries.

·          Other large villages should be considered as sources of potential for housing as well as the Local Service Centres identified

In regard to Figure 2.2, Members asked why land not previously developed had been included (including greenfield sites as a potential source), when concentration should be brownfield sources.  Members also commented that in Annex 1 there was a reference to the Inward Investment Board which was now called yorkengland.com.

It was noted that a draft report containing the HLAA document would be presented in Spring 2007 and Members  requested that the methodology be updated in line with the adopted Housing Land Availability Guidance when it is released later in 2007. 

Members requested that the methodology be amended to reflect their comments and views and that the amended version be re-presented for their consideration.

RECOMMENDED:

(i)      That the views of the Working Group be taken into account alongside those from other key stakeholders when the methodology for the Housing Land Availability Assessment is finalised.

REASON:To ensure that the methodology used to undertake the assessment is appropriate in relation to guidance and local circumstances.