Agenda item

The Planning Policy Lead Officer introduced a report that sought approval of the updated housing trajectory and five year housing land supply.  It was a requirement under the National Planning Policy Framework to demonstrate sufficient housing supply otherwise the Local Plan and Core Strategy would not be considered up to date and there would be a presumption in favour of granting permission for housing development when deciding applications.  The housing trajectory was an important part of the Annual Monitoring Report and would feed into the review of the Local Plan.

There was an interim target, from the Corporate Plan, of 550 homes to be completed per year.  There were only 521 net completions in 2016/17, however, based on the number of units under construction it was estimated that the total figure would rise to 1,053 this year. A slight drop from this figure was predicted in the following two years.  The average estimated annual supply for the five year period to 2021-22 was 862.  Consequently the Council has a 10 year housing supply. The 862 figure is close to the Objectively Assessed Housing Need figure for Slough of 927 dwellings per year  set out in the Berkshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA).

The Officer provided information the Committee had requested at the previous meeting relating to the size of dwellings and parking provision in permissions granted for the previous year.  Of the  598 (gross) new dwellings completed in 2016-17 25% were under the prior approval process. Therefore the number of bedrooms was not always known, however, it was assumed they were mostly 1 or 2 bedroomed flats.  The breakdown was provided for developments with approval and it was noted that 30% were 1 bedroom dwellings, 23.5% with 2 bedrooms, 16.5% 3 bedroom and 5% 4 bedroom homes.  The Committee welcomed the fact that identified need for 1 bedroom properties was being met but Members reiterated long standing concerns about the relative lack of provision of larger and family sized housing.  It was emphasised that the appropriate housing mix should be an important consideration of local planning policy as part of the Local Plan review.  The need to protect and promote affordable housing stock was also recognised.  The Committee noted that of the 44 sites where development had been completed 8 did not have any car parking provision; and that of these 3 were prior approvals, and 5 were in accordance with Planning Policy.

At the conclusion of the discussion the Committee approved the updated housing trajectory and five year housing land supply as set out in the report.

Resolved – That the updated housing trajectory and Five Year Housing   Land Supply information be agreed and published in the Annual   Monitoring Report 2016/17