Cabinet 5 July 2010 Agenda Item No______12_______ NORTH NORFOLK LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK Summary: The Site Specific Proposals and Re-Use of Rural Buildings as Dwelling Development Plans have been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for Independent examination. This report provides an update of the timetable for examination of the Plans, the key issues that the Inspector has identified for Examination, recent Government advice, and the completion of the evidence documents that will support the examination. Conclusions: Notwithstanding the recent announcements made by the coalition government in relation to the probable abolition of the Regional Spatial Strategy, the Site Specific Proposals Development Plan and the Reuse of Rural Buildings policy provide a ‘sound’ basis for the management of development in the District over the coming years and the proposed dwelling numbers provide an appropriate, and local derived, basis for helping to address housing needs and meet demand over the plan period (2001-2021). The publication of updates to the supporting evidence will be helpful to the Independent Examination process by ensuring that discussion draws on the latest available information. Recommendations: This item will be considered by the LDF Working Party on the 28th of June. The recommendations of the Working Party will be reported to the meeting. Officer recommendations to the Working Party are as follows: 1. That the content of the Secretary of State’s letter of 27th May 2010 be noted and that the Local Development Framework Working Party recommend to Cabinet that in relation to dwelling numbers the Council endorses the proposals within the Site Specific Proposals Development Plan 2. That the Working Party recommends to Cabinet that the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment, Five Year Land Supply Statement, and Housing Trajectory are published Cabinet member(s): Ward(s) affected: All All Mark Ashwell, Planning Policy Manager 01263 516325, Contact Officer, telephone number, mark.ashwell@north-norfolk.gov.uk and e-mail: 1. Background Both the Site Specific Proposals and the Re-use of Rural Buildings as Dwellings Development Plan Documents were submitted for Independent Examination on the 5th of Cabinet 5 July 2010 March. A Pre-Hearing Meeting was held by the Inspector on the 8th of June at which he identified his ‘Matters and Issues’ for examination (Appendix B). The Inspector has identified twenty-seven broad questions which will form the basis of the examinations; firstly focusing on general issues and secondly looking at specific sites. One day of the Hearings will be dedicated to the Re-use of Rural Buildings as Dwellings Plan. All parties have been asked to prepare written responses to the Inspector’s questions by 30th June and the Council is expected to prepare papers in relation to all questions. The formal Hearing sessions have been confirmed for the three weeks commencing on Tuesday 20th July. 2. Central Government Announcements The Rt Hon Eric Pickles, the new coalition Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, wrote to Chief Planning Officers on the 27th of May highlighting the Government’s commitment to rapidly abolish Regional Spatial Strategies and return decisions on housing numbers (including Gypsy and Traveller provision) to Local Planning Authorities. Formal abolition will require Parliamentary approval and until this time the East of England Plan remains an approved part of the statutory Development Plan. However, Mr Pickles finishes his letter by stating that he expects decision makers to take his letter into account ‘as a material consideration’ in any decisions they are currently taking. It is anticipated that this letter, and the issue of housing numbers generally, will be raised during the Hearings as one of the key ‘tests of soundness’ is conformity with the Regional Plan, which by the date of the formal hearings may no longer exist. It would therefore be helpful to the Hearings if the Council’s position in relation to the East of England Plan, and housing numbers in particular, was clear. The approved Regional Plan provides the broad strategic context within which other elements of the LDF have been prepared. In relation to dwelling numbers members may recall that early versions of the Regional Plan suggested that North Norfolk accommodate 6,400 dwellings over the twenty year period covered by the Plan and that, at that time, dwelling numbers were being set as targets to be delivered. North Norfolk argued for, and were successful in securing, a higher allocations number (8,000 dwellings) based on the evidence of very high levels of housing need within the District. The final version of the Regional Plan expressed the housing numbers as ‘minimums to be provided’ rather than an absolute target to be met and it was on this basis that the Core Strategy and subsequently the Site Specific Proposals documents were prepared. Dwelling numbers in North Norfolk have essentially been derived from local evidence, rather than being imposed by the region, and the Authority is one of only a few with an adopted Core Strategy which will remain as part of the adopted development plan following abolition of the Regional Plan. Both the adopted Core Strategy and the emerging Site Specific Proposals Development Plans refer to dwelling numbers in terms of ‘at least’ 8,000 dwellings to be provided between 2001 and 2021. Expressing dwelling numbers in this way provides a degree of flexibility in the later years of the period covered by the plan allowing for the 8,000 dwelling number to be exceeded should the circumstances justify it at that time. Officers therefore consider that the submitted Site Specific Proposals document remains “sound” and that the proposed dwelling numbers can be robustly defended in the light of objections made to specific allocations, which may now seek to quote the Secretary of State’s letter. In relation to Gypsy and Traveller accommodation, the Site Specific Proposals Plan made no allocations for Gypsy and Traveller sites and Members may recall that the absence of permanent pitch provision was raised as an issue of soundness in representations on the Draft Plan by both the Regional Assembly and the Government Office. The Council’s position (as advised to Cabinet in a report to the meeting of 8th February 2010) has been that the adopted Core Strategy includes an adopted policy which aims to meet arising need in sustainable locations and consequently, as there was little evidence of any specific need, formal site specific allocations should not be made. This is the basis of the case that will be Cabinet 5 July 2010 outlined at the hearing sessions in the event (now considered unlikely) that this becomes a key issue for examination. Mr Pickles letter is helpful in reinforcing the case that decisions in relation to pitch provision should be made locally and be based on an assessment of local need. Other elements of the Regional Plan informed the preparation of both the Core Strategy and subsequently the Site Specific Proposals. This includes the spatial distribution of development, proportions of affordable housing, sustainable construction and energy generation, environmental protection and so on. These regional policies are all areas where there is a wide degree of consensus and generally reflect earlier central Government advice as outlined in Planning Policy Statements and/or the requirements of other regulations. Consequently, the possible abolition of the Regional Plan would not appear to precipitate the need for a wholesale review of the Council’s planning policies. On the 10th of June PPS3 – Housing, was republished. The most notable changes relate to the removal of garden land from the definition of Previously Developed Land (brownfield) and, whilst the advice still requires the efficient use of land, the national minimum density target of 30dw/h has been removed. The revised PPS continues to make reference to the need for conformity with Regional Spatial Strategies and maintaining five and fifteen year land supplies and it can therefore be expected that further revisions to the PPS will follow the signalled abolition of the Regional Plan. 3. Crime & Disorder There are no crime and disorder issues attached to this report. 4. Sustainability Both Development Plan Documents have been subject to Sustainability Appraisal and Appropriate Assessment throughout their preparation. 5. Equality & Diversity Both Development Plan Documents have been subject to Equality Impact Assessment. No negative impacts were identified. 6. Finance There are no financial matters in respect of this report. 7. Risk There may be a challenge to housing numbers based on recent Government announcements. However, given the Council has an adopted Core Strategy in place minimises these risks. 8. Conclusions Notwithstanding the recent announcements made by the coalition government in relation to the probable abolition of the Regional Spatial Strategy, the Site Specific Proposals Development Plan and the Re-use of Rural Buildings policy provide a ‘sound’ basis for the management of development in the District over the coming years and the proposed dwelling numbers provide an appropriate, and local derived, basis for helping to address housing needs and meet demand over the plan period (2001-2021). The publication of updates to the supporting evidence will be helpful to the Independent Examination process by ensuring that discussion draws on the latest available information.