To determine a response to the Phase Two Revision of the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS).  A full copy of the Phase Two Revision document is available in the Members room for Members attention.

Prior to formally introducing the items 5, 6 and 7 (all of which were linked in part), the Cabinet Member for Environment and Strategic Housing advised Cabinet that Dr David Nicholson, Forward Planning Manager had recently been appointed on secondment to the Edgar Street Grid (ESG) and he wished him well for the future.

Additionally, the Cabinet Member for Environment and Strategic Housing informed Cabinet that Herefordshire Council had been asked to act as a peer for another authority by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) due to the following reasons; the advanced nature of the Core Strategy; the establishment of a Task Group with the Local Strategic partnership; the authority’s receipts of PAS training, and the linkages with the Growth Point initiative.  The request to act as a peer reflected well on the authority and the Cabinet Member gave particular thanks to Dr Nicholson and Andrew Ashcroft for their work on this.

The report outlined the Council’s proposed response to the West Midlands Regional Assembly consultation on the current review of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) Phase Two, which looked ahead to 2026 and which focussed on housing, employment, role of centres, and waste.

The Cabinet was informed that Government had already stated that the amount of housing provision for the region outlined in the RSS Phase Two was insufficient to meet future demand and to deliver affordable housing needs, therefore a further study had been commissioned by Government to reassess the situation and to provide for additional housing figures.  The Cabinet was advised that report would be provided later in the year which would outline the study’s outcomes. 

The report for Cabinet’s consideration outlined the need to establish the Council’s position on the review proposals, which would provide a basis for the Core Strategy Option (for consideration under agenda item 6).  Members were advised that whilst the RSS Phase Two rates proposed were similar those indicated in the UDP, the levels and distribution of housing development proposed in the Phase Two development would have implications for the county.  The implications would be that Hereford City would have a significant uplift of over 50% on UDP rates with a downturn in provision for the rest of the County, which may have a direct impact on market town growth and provision for sustainable rural settlements.  Members were reminded that Hereford was one of 10 designated ‘settlements of significant development’ as well as being an area with Growth Point Status (one of 29 areas in England which were identified to deliver higher levels of housing growth). 

The proposed response (as outlined in recommendations 1, 2, 3 and 9) generally supported the Phase Two Revisions, but suggested the need to introduce an element of flexibility.  Additionally whilst as much growth as possible would be sought for Hereford (up to the RSS figure) it was essential to emphasise that appropriate infrastructure would be required to support this.  It was also stated that any residual figures from the Hereford allocation should  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5