Agenda item

The purpose of this report is to brief Members in relation to the housing issue raised in the Planning Inspectors’ letter received on 24 July 2018 regarding York’s objectively assessed housing need (OAHN) and to update Members in relation to the release of new relevant population statistics.

Members considered a report which provided a brief update on the progress of the Local Plan since its submission to the Planning Inspectorate in May and provided advice in relation to the housing issue raised within the letter received by the Council from the two Planning Inspectors on 24^th July regarding York’s objectively assed housing need (OAHN). The report also updated them in relation to the release of new relevant population statistics.

Officers advised that the inspectors’ letter was available on the Local Plan examination webpage and that a holding response had been sent in August. The letter from the Inspectors raised a number of technical clarifications and initial observations on issues relating to housing, greenbelt and infrastructure but one of the key issues was around the calculation of housing need.

Officers briefed Members on methods used to calculate household need, using sub national household projections as a starting point estimate of housing need for local plans. Wherever possible, needs assessments should be informed by the latest information and Plans should be kept up to date.

Officers provided a verbal update to Members in relation to both the new national population projections release in May which showed a marked downward trend, both nationally and in York(detailed in the report), and the new national household projections (2016 based) released the day of the meeting by ONS which confirmed a corresponding downward trend. Officers advised the needed to undertake detailed analysis of these figures but stated that they showed that the projected number of households at 2032 was 93,200 which compared to the previous projections which projected 101,400 households. This continued the downward trend forecast in the earlier population release.It was clear, therefore, that irrespective of the issues of clarification raised by the Inspector, new evidence had been released which appeared to show a substantive change in the demographic starting point or baseline for the Plan period and that officers considered that this new evidence must be analysed and the potential implications for the submitted Plan understood.

It was noted that the Government had stated that post the release of the household projections they would consider adjusting the standard methodology in order that the aim of the Housing White Paper  to boost housing delivery was met.

Given the release of new evidence and the complex position in relation to transitional arrangements and the potential changes to the standard methodology, officers believed it was important that the Inspectors consider allowing early hearing sessions on the issue of housing need so that the Council and other interested parties could engage in early discussions on these matters.

Discussion took place around the following issues:

·        Objectively assessed need (OAN) – there was conflicting advice from inspectors in the East Cambridgshire District Council and Peterborough local plan examinations on how to apply the standard methodology to local plans currently in examination. Officers advised that they would  seek advice on this matter and further dialogue with Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)  to establish how to move forward considering current examination decisions, the new datasets, including a lower demographic starting point and the government’s statement re changing the methodology.

·        Affordable housing need and whether this would be impacted upon by the lower household figure – officers advised that the Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) included a calculation of affordable housing need and that this was a separate calculation to that of OAN. However this would need to be reviewed in light of the new evidence released as part of the update to the objectively assessed need (OAN) to assess any potential impacts for the submitted Local Plan.

·        Response to Inspectors - A large part of the response to the inspectors had already been prepared but the impact of the new figures needed to be considered before the response was finalised. Local Plan Working Group Members would be advised by email when the response had been sent.

·        Concern that release of new figures would cause ongoing delays with local plan process and whether purdah period will impact on this further. Officers advised that they hoped to get to the hearings stage on housing matters prior to the purdah period.

·        Although this report focused on household projections as this was the new information which had been released by Government, officers would produce a substantive technical response to the Inspectors on the other issues raised including infrastructure and greenbelt.

Resolved:  That the update report be noted.

Reason:     To allow officers to progress York’s Local Plan through to hearing sessions to determine the OAHN.