Agenda item

The Planning Policy Lead Officer outlined a report to provide Members with an update on the supply of housing in Slough and the results of housing monitoring, including the amount of affordable housing built and the number of flats and houses completed during the period 2015/16.

The Committee was reminded that the National Planning Policy Framework required an assessment of the Council’s 5year housing land supply on an annual basis through an updated housing trajectory.  Should a five year supply (plus a 5 % buffer) of deliverable sites not be identified then the Council would be open to planning by appeal. 

In terms of housing supply, the housing target as set out in the Core Strategy (2008)

was 315 per annum, increased in January 2016 to 550 per annum in line with the

Slough Five Year Plan and reflecting the Council’s aspiration to meet its housing

needs.  Members also noted details of the current housing trajectory which included

updated information on completions, new housing permissions and estimated

building rates on each site. In 2015/16, 789 net additional dwellings were completed, being  the highest level of housing building reported since the peak of 849 completions in 2008/09. Lower levels of completions in the past were the result of the slump in the housing market rather than a shortage in the supply of sites.

The Officer advised that approximately 800 completions a year were projected over the next five years which was higher than the target of 550 a year and it was anticipated that the Council would be able to build the equivalent of 8.3 years supply over the next five years and all of the houses needed for the period of the plan (2006 – 2026) by 2022.  Members were referred to the appendix which detailed the sites identified for the next 5 years. The Committee was advised that the high level of completions and large supply of housing resulted from a Prior Approvals system for the conversion of flats to residential without the need for planning permission.  In addition, some large green field sites had been developed such as Castleview, and Kennedy Park and other initiatives had promoted housing such as the Garage Court schemes introduced by the Council. It was noted that in the long term the Council would be unlikely to achieve continued housing supply due to the shortage of land and a Housing Capacity Study would be undertaken to address housing supply issues beyond the current plan period.

Resolved-  That the report be noted.