Decision details

The Committee considered the Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) and Five Year Housing Land Supply Report by the Planning Policy Officer (TDC) (circulated previously).

The Planning Policy Officer advised that:

·         The HELAA provided an assessment for northern Devon, which was required to support an update/review of the Local Plan.

·         The report provided an update on current progress and the timescales involved in establishing the supply of deliverable housing sites; the five-year housing land supply position and finalising the HELAA.

·         The HELAA/five-year housing land supply project was a substantial and complex piece of work which required a significant volume of evidence to be gathered by officers, which involved securing contributions from developers, landowners and consultees.

·         The draft methodology had been consulted on and updated as considered necessary in response to received representations.

·         The HELAA was a resource-intensive element of the evidence required to update/review the Local Plan.

In response to a question from the Committee, the Chair confirmed that it had been agreed that one community representative from each district be appointed to the HELAA panel. This was considered, and agreed, at an informal meeting of the JPPC, to which the Member had been invited although had not attended.

In response to a question from the Committee, the Planning Policy Officer (NDC) confirmed that:

·         Following the Burwood (Great Torrington) appeal which established a housing land supply position of a 4.23 years a number of hostile applications had been received by both Councils.

·         In the absence of a five-year housing land supply greenfield sites, not allocated in the Local Plan may be considered acceptable having regard to the tilted balance set out in national guidance.

·         A focus for Government remained the development brown-field sites. However, there were limited brownfield development options in northern Devon.

·         While there is an absence of a five -year housing land supply, there was a significant supply of housing sites, the challenge was to increase delivery on such sites.

·         While the presence of a five year housing land supply was important, it remained to be only a ‘material consideration’ in decision making.

RESOLVED that the Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) and Five Year Housing Land Supply Report be noted.