Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the Policy, Research and Information Manager (copy enclosed) on the consultation on additional housing sites and draft phasing policy.

A copy of a report by the Policy, Research and Information Manager, on the consultation on additional housing sites and draft phasing policy, had been circulated with the papers for the meeting.

The Chief Executive (CE) explained that a decision would be sought from Members in respect of the submission of the list of the additional 21 housing sites, along with the associated phasing policy specific to those additional housing sites, to the LDP Planning Inspector.  The Council’s decision would be submitted to the Inspectors who would form a view as to whether or not the Council had a sound LDP.  Should the Council decide not to submit additional sites it would be failing to address the Inspectors’ findings and the Inspectors would find the Plan ‘unsound’, despite the only issue of concern identified by the Inspectors being housing supply. 

The CE referred to the wider strategic significance of the LDP, a statutory plan, which would have a direct role to play in achieving the priorities of ‘Developing the Local Economy’ and ‘Ensuring Access to Good Quality Housing’ through its policies and proposals.  The LDP would provide a vision for the County for the coming years and influence the future of Denbighshire by instilling confidence in the private sector, encouraging investment and increasing employment prospects. 

It was emphasised by the CE that the LDP had been developed by Denbighshire and the figure of 7500 new houses included in the LDP had been agreed by Council in 2008.  He made reference to the phasing policy and explained that the figure of 7500 was a planning figure and did not specify the number of houses which must be built.  The implementation of the 21 sites to the last phase in the Plan would only allow them to be brought forward if deliverable housing land supply fell below five years, and this would be determined by the market and economy.  It was suggested that when formulating their decision Members may wish to contemplate the importance of Denbighshire having an LDP, the likelihood of the sites being utilised and consideration being afforded to each individual site.

The Head of Planning and Public Protection (HP&PP) summarised the report which detailed the history and key stages since the commencement of the LDP in 2006.  The report highlighted the process adopted, the representations received in response to the consultation on proposed additional housing sites and the draft phasing policy which had been put forward in response to Planning Inspectors’ findings regarding housing need and supply issued in June 2012.

The two main functions of the LDP included the allocation of sites for potential development, and the provision of specific policies to guide and control the way development should be carried out.  It would therefore be a key document in facilitating economic development across the County by allocating land to meet the County’s needs in terms of attracting new employment uses, providing new housing, establishing community and recreational facilities, improving road and other infrastructure.  The successful delivery of two of the Council’s priorities, ensuring access to good quality housing and ‘Developing the local economy, would also be heavily dependent on having an adopted LDP.

The LDP Strategy agreed in 2008 included potential housing growth of 7500.  The vast majority of the potential growth would be accommodated on brownfield land and within existing settlements.  However, this growth level had been below the Welsh Government housing projections for the County of 8500.  Information on population had been included in Appendices 5 and 6 to the report. 

Following agreement at full Council in May 2011, the LDP  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6