Agenda item

The government recently published for consultation the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and other changes to the planning system. The Council needs to respond to this consultation and the report sets out the recommended key elements of the response. The revised NPPF will also have significant implications for the Council’s Local Plan and the report outlines some of the main implications and the recommended next steps in respect of Local Plan preparation.

Cllr Matt McCabe, Cabinet Member for Built Environment, Housing and Sustainable Development, introduced the report, moved the officer recommendation and made the following points:

·  The Labour government has launched a consultation on proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework. In particular, the way that our house building targets are calculated.

·  It is suggested that we have a 0.8% annual increase of our existing housing, plus the calculated Affordability Uplift.

·  The result of this is a 9% drop in Bristol’s housing target, a 20% increase for North Somerset, a 30% increase for South Gloucestershire but a 104% increase for B&NES.

·  The problem is that we cannot expand the city of Bath.  It has a World Heritage listing and because we have a mapped “Green Setting” for the city, we can’t expand into it without harming the listing.

·  Bath can deliver around 5000 houses over the next 20 years (mainly from brownfield sites) but that does not change because the government has doubled our housing target.  It is not acceptable for the government to demand that North East Somerset takes Bath’s housing.

·  Even if we were to bring 11 thousand homes to B&NES we still would not have addressed the affordability crisis in Bath.

·  We need to tackle land banking, land pricing, viability studies concluding that affordable housing is impossible.  We need to enforce policy and to compulsory purchase land or buildings for affordable housing.

·  It is important to engage with the government now.  The proposal is for the Cabinet Member and senior officers to undertake the consultation response, but also to reset our new local plan. Whatever the result of the consultation, officers need to start working on this new house building target. We do need to go back out to our residents clearly setting out what this doubling of our numbers might look like. Despite the changed goal posts, all the evidence we have gathered is still important evidence in planning terms.

·  The way forward would be a resetting of the Local Plan, and a full and frank discussion with government about how we deal with a double World Heritage city and its housing needs.

Cllr Manda Rigby seconded the motion and made the following points:

·  We believe in house building and the need for more houses.  However, these need to be the right kinds of houses in the right places.

·  We have a shortage of social and truly affordable housing. We have many larger properties, few smaller bungalows, and have an aging population whose children have flown the nest and would want to move if there was somewhere to move to. Our rental market is extremely competitive and rents are very high. Houses for sale show that there seems to be a minimum entry point exceeding eight times average earnings.

·  Against that we have developers who say, rightly, that they pay a lot to purchase land, particularly in Bath, and in order to maximise their profits they cater for the executive market which is not what is needed.

·  Bath is the only City in the country with one, let alone two World Heritage inscriptions covering Bath, and the volume of Green Belt in North East Somerset, I trust some allowance can be made for these very special circumstances.

·  When considering, with local communities, where to build the new houses we must consider the necessary supporting infrastructure. 

·  Transport is also important, and we have to plan the infrastructure to allow proper choice of viable travel methods to places of employment, leisure, retail and health. 

·  Whilst there are challenges ahead getting things right at this stage will deliver much needed appropriate housing, in sustainable locations, so there is a huge opportunity.

Cllr Paul May noted that many residents will be concerned by the debate around potential changes to Green Belts.  Green Belts have been a protection against urban sprawl and have been in place since 1938, their most important attribute is openness.  He stressed the importance of access to open countryside, outdoor recreation close to cities, protection of valuable landscapes, nature conservation and retention of land for local food growing.  There is tension between deliverability and affordability and there are considerable land options held by developers in B&NES.  Climate and nature recovery must be balanced with the demands for new housing.

Cllr Sarah Warren stated that we are badly in need of truly affordable homes and also homes in which people can live truly sustainable lifestyles with low energy bills and be able to go about their lives without the need for cars in most instances.  Cllr Warren noted the constraints of national policy and that while the Council is committed to net zero, this is one of the areas in which we lack powers to achieve it. So, unless government ensures that something changes to require developers to think differently about creating real communities that support sustainable lifestyles, it remains another uphill battle for local government.

Cllr Tim Ball stated that the quality of social housing in the area is very poor and that we must work with social landlords to provide improved affordable housing.  B&NES is heavily restrained due to its geography and World Heritage status and it will be impossible to achieve the amount of building that is required.  It will be important to work closely with current partners.

Cllr McCabe summed up by stating that devolution is also a challenge along with achieving the right housing mix.  Land, funding and skills will also be a challenge, and it remains a priority to deliver sustainable development.  Discussions will take place with neighbouring authorities.

RESOLVED (unanimously):

(1)   To note the government’s proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and to agree the key elements of the Council’s response to the consultation on the revised NPPF and other changes to the planning system as set out in paragraph 3.6 of the report.

(2)  To delegate authority to the Executive Director for Sustainable Communities, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Built Environment, Housing and Sustainable Development, to agree and submit the Council’s response to the government’s consultation on the revised NPPF and other changes to the planning system.

(3)  To agree that the Local Plan needs to be reset and that preparation should progress towards submission in advance of the Government’s new deadline of December 2026.

(4)  To delegate authority to the Executive Director for Sustainable Communities, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Built Environment, Housing and Sustainable Development, to agree and publish a revised Local Development Scheme setting out the revised programme for Local Plan preparation.

(5)  To agree that we continue to co-operate with our neighbouring authorities and the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) to ensure that strategic planning delivers the affordable housing we need, as well as the supporting infrastructure.

(6)  To authorise the Executive Director for Sustainable Communities, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Built Environment, Housing and Sustainable Development, to issue communications relating to the resetting of the Local Plan and the proposed next steps as set out in Section 10 of the report.