Agenda item

The Planning Policy Lead Officer introduced a report that provided Members with an update on the supply of housing to demonstrate that the Slough continued to have a five year housing land supply, which was a requirement of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Council’s had to be able to demonstrate a valid land supply otherwise there was a significant risk that refusals for planning permissions for residential development could be overturned on appeal even if they were contrary to Local Plan policy.  The necessary land supply was based on the housing requirement and Members were reminded that this had risen from the target of 315 per year in the Core Strategy to a higher interim target of 550 based on the Council’s corporate plan.  The draft NPPF introduced a standard methodology which would increase the target to 912 per year and this was now the proposed target for Slough from 2019.  The housing trajectory graph for the period between 2006/7 to 2025/26 showed that Slough expected to build 4,734 houses over the next five years at a rate of 947 per annum, which exceeded the annual need of 912 per year.  In the longer term, the review of Local Plan considered the options for future sites, including the proposed northern expansion of Slough, and it was noted that there were several major sites in the pipeline such as the former Thames Valley University and Queensmere sites.

Members noted that a revised version of the NPPF had been published since publication of the committee report, which could have future implications for Slough’s housing requirement.  However, it was considered that at the current time Slough continued to have the requisite five year land supply as the basis for determining planning applications.  After due consideration, the Committee noted the housing trajectory and five year housing land supply.

Resolved –  That the updated Housing Trajectory and Five Year Housing Land Supply be noted and published in the Annual Monitoring Report 2017-18.