Buckland Newton - submitted for its examination

Buckland Newton have taken the next step towards finalising their neighbourhood plan.  The proposed plan has been submitted to West Dorset District Council, and the District Council have agreed that it can proceed to examination. 

The neighbourhood plan takes forward the aspirations identified in the Parish Plan, and proposes a range of small housing sites mainly around the larger settlement of Buckland Newton, but also some very small scale development in the hamlets.  Most of the sites are put forward as rural exception sites, to ensure that they will provide some affordable housing (as they are under the now withdrawn '10 unit' affordable housing threshold proposed nationally).  The plan also sets out housing type and design criteria as well as safeguarding the key community spaces and places in the parish, and allocating a site for a new recreation area.

Will be keeping track on their progress over the coming months...

NPPF changes consultation (22 February 2016) - you may want to say something...

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/national-planning-policy-consultation-on-proposed-changes

The following is a very brief run-through of what I have picked out as key issues for some of my clients…

Affordable housing - broadening the definition to include any affordable products for rent or for ownership, and lifting the requirement that all of these products would have to be affordable ‘in perpetuity’ or have the money released recycled back into providing further affordable housing.
and

Starter homes – making clearer that these should be considered on underused or unviable commercial / employment sites and rural exception sites.  These would be subject to the same minimum time limits on resale (5 years) as other starter homes but local planning authorities could, exceptionally, require a local connection test for example where access to the housing market for working people can be difficult and would be consistent with existing policy on rural exception sites.  Also make clear that Neighbourhood Plans can allocate Starter Home sites in the Green Belt.

These two changes will bring in more options by which affordable homes could provide a suitable solution, but it will be important for those groups preparing neighbourhood plans to be clear whether specific local connection or other issues might be required, and have evidence to support this.

Brownfield sites – strengthening the ‘presumption’ in favour of brownfield land unless there are overriding conflicts with the Local Plan or National Planning Policy that cannot be mitigated.

Small sites (of less than 10 units) adjoining settlement boundaries – making clear that proposals for development on such sites should be supported if they are sustainable.

The consideration of small sites adjoining settlement boundaries could mean that some sites that were dismissed in neighbourhood plans could still come forward for open market housing, which may mean that some neighbourhood plan groups will feel that their ability to shape future development is effectively undermined.

Housing delivery test - introducing a new measurement for under-delivery possibly based on completions compared to the housing targets (or trajectories), and requiring the local planning authority to identify additional sustainable sites if the existing approach is considerable below the housing required through a rapid and targeted plan review.

This is unlikely to be a key issue for more rural parts, but could have implications for sites around the main towns, though any ‘quick’ allocations would still need to go through consultation and examination.

Commuter hubs and higher density housing – where there is a rail interchange that has, or could have in the future, a frequent (15 minutes at peak times) service to that stop, local planning authorities should require higher density housing development. 

Interesting choice of wording – although I don’t think there are any places outside of the conurbation in Dorset where this could apply, it could be argued that everywhere is a possibility!

If the above raises any concerns, it is worth putting in a response to the consultation, rather than hoping that others will...

Just published - the new Housing and Planning Bill

The new Bill on Housing and Planning had its first reading in the House of Commons yesterday.  So at last we have a clearer view of how some of the ideas on changes to the planning system that have been aired by the Conservative Party could come into effect.

Of particular interest to people involved in planning are the clauses on

Starter Homes - defined as a new buildings (or part of a building) purchased by a first-time buyer under the age of 40, sold at a discount of at least 20% of the market value, and sold for less than £250,000 (outside of Greater London).  Regulations can be introduced to cover various matters, such as adding other criteria on who is able to qualify for a starter home or specifying restrictions on the sale or letting of these homes. The regulations could also require planning authorities to require starter homes (either on-site or through financial contributions) when they are granting planning permission for certain types of residential development. 

Self-Build Homes - the basis of the changes here are to make sure that local planning authorities grant enough sites for self-build and custom housing to keep paces with numbers of eligible people on their register. The timeframes for Councils to do this will be set out separately in regulations.

Social Housing sales - introducing the mechanisms for affordable housing providers to choose to offer a right to buy to their tenants at broadly the same discounts as for council houses.  At the present time we don't know how many Dorset properties could be sold off, as not all social housing providers may want to participate. 

Neighbourhood Planning - to streamline the process for designating neighbourhood areas at the start, and for organising the referendum and 'making' of the plan at the end.  Details to be set out in regulations.  Neighbourhood Forums can also ask to be notified about planning applications in their area (this is something Parish Councils have been able to request for some time). 

Permission in Principle and Local Registers of Land - this section of the Bill lays the foundations for regulations to require planning authorities to keep a register of certain types of sites in their area, and for development orders to be made for these types of site (potentially through changes to national permitted development rights). The idea behind this is to enable small brownfield sites to be given ‘in principle’ permission for new housing (although technical details would still need to be approved locally). How these sites will be identified is not clear, but there is scope for the regulations to require consultation as part of forming the register. There may be more detailed requirements in the regulations on what type of brownfield (or other) sites will be suitable.  There is also the provision to have regard to the development plan – so, for example, if a site is allocated for another use, the 'in principle permission' would not automatically apply. The scope of these proposals could of course be widened beyond brownfield sites if this Bill is passed, and could also work for neighbourhood development orders.

The answers provided by the Bill inevitably lead to more questions, as a lot of the detail is to be fleshed out in the regulations, which have yet to be published.  The Bill may well be subject to changes along the way.  It doesn't include any mention of small site affordable home exemptions, which there was some speculation about following the recent changes in this field (which I should probably blog about in another post!)