Agenda item

The Head of Regulatory Services to submit a report addressing the implications of two recent reports affecting the housing requirement figure that is set out in the draft Local Plan and invite consideration of the appropriate housing requirement.

The Chairman of the Melton Local Plan Working Group, Councillor Chandler presented the report prepared by the Head of Regulatory Services which addressed the implications of two recent reports affecting the housing requirement figure set out in the draft Local Plan and invited consideration of the appropriate housing requirement.  Councillor Chandler stated:

•           that the report concerned the latest evidence on housing need and considered its implications alongside the many representations received on this matter;

•           housing requirements were a keystone of the Local Plan on which much else depended and was affected by.  The HEDNA and related ‘towards a housing target’ report was new evidence based on the most up to date statistics. They represented a range of housing needs from 170 per year through to 280 and several levels in between;

•           the report explored the pros and cons of the various levels in terms of what the Plan was seeking to achieve, and there were inevitably pros and cons with each approach; some objectives were served better from a smaller quantity, some required larger;

•           when taken as a whole, it seemed clear that a figure of 245 was the best balance.  It went a long way towards fulfilling the Council’s ambitions for growth, including the ring road for Melton, providing a sustainable workforce to sustain businesses and allow them to grow whilst still providing a reasonable level of affordable housing;

•           HEDNA did not provide evidence solely about Melton, it related to the whole of the housing market area and had forewarned of difficult issues to come in terms of the demands emerging outside of this Borough and the prospect of ‘unmet need’ arising elsewhere.  The Council was committed to addressing this with its neighbours and was invited to join the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) recommended in the report;

•           that it was therefore recommended that the Council publish this information for consultation purposes and also sign the MOU.  However for the Plan going forward, the most important recommendation was that the Plan be based on a figure of 245 having regard to the contribution that level will make to the fulfilment of the Plan’s aims and objectives.

Accordingly, Councillor Chandler moved the recommendations numbered (i) to (v) in the report.  Councillor Illingworth, as Chair of the Planning Committee, seconded the motion, reserving the right to speak later in the debate should he so wish.

A discussion ensued during which points were made on:

•           the Borough had the highest economic growth rate in the East Midlands and therefore it needed more housing to support this growth;

•           meeting the housing needs of the Borough was key to boosting the economy, as was helping people to lead more prosperous lives, and supporting the development of the road infrastructure;

•           the need for starter homes which would help residents invest in their local communities;

•           a mix of housing types was needed to accommodates all ages and to help people, live, stay and work in the Borough;

•           concern regarding the use of the Council owned garage sites for development.  The Chief Executive replied that the Council was dealing today with the overarching policies and the direction of travel. As landowner, the Council would be mindful of the overarching policies when considering any such sites for development in an appropriate way having regard to the need for localised parking as well as the need for homes.

The Mayor called for a vote on the motion which was subsequently carried unanimously.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)  the following evidence documents as evidence to inform the production of the Local Plan be accepted and that they are published alongside a proposed ‘Addendum of Focussed Changes’:

•           Leicestershire and Leicester Housing and Economic Development Needs Assessment (January 2017)

•           Towards a Housing Requirement for Melton Borough (GL Hearn, Jan 2017) and its associated Addendum (GL Hearn, June 2017)

•           SA Addendum (LUC, February 2017)

(2)  the contents of this report be noted and  the conclusions set out agreed;

(3)  the housing requirement within the Local Plan of 245d.p.a. remains unchanged from the Pre Submission Draft Plan; 

(4)  the preparation of revised ‘reasoned justification’ for inclusion in a proposed Addendum of Focussed Changes be authorised; and

(5)  the Joint Statement of Co-operation Relating to Objectively Assessed Needs for Housing (Appendix 4 of the report) be agreed for adoption.