To determine a response to the updated Phase Two Revision of the Regional Spatial Strategy in the light of the proposed revised housing allocations published on 7 October 2008.

The Planning Policy Manager presented the report of the Head of Planning and Transportation about a proposed response to the updated Phase Two Revision of the Regional Spatial Strategy, in the light of the proposed revised housing allocations published on 7 October 2008.  He advised that the current version of the RSS was issued by the Government in 2004 and was followed by a phased review.  The first phase, which dealt with the Black Country, had been completed and the second phase had reached an advanced stage.  It dealt with housing, employment, the role of town centres, waste and some aspects of transport.  The third and final phase had begun in November 2007 and covered rural services, gypsy and traveller sites, culture, minerals and environment policies.  The Regional Assembly had worked closely with regional stakeholders in preparing the Phase Two Revision, and strategic planning authorities such as Herefordshire Council had submitted advice to the Assembly in 2006.  Consultation was undertaken on Spatial Options which were considered by Cabinet in February 2007.  A preferred option had been approved by the Assembly’s Regional Planning Partnership in October, and submitted to the Secretary of State in December. It was reported to Planning Committee on 23 May 2008 and considered by Cabinet on 29 May 2008.  Cabinet had offered general support to the Revisions subject to a number of issues regarding the infrastructure requirements of Hereford if growth was to be achieved; the peripheral expansion of market towns, housing targets and growth; retail floor space requirements; office development; waste policies and transportation issues.  These matters were set out in the report of the Head of Planning and Transportation. 

It was noted that throughout the process of preparing the revisions, the Government had been concerned about the need for a greater amount of affordable housing.  It had taken advice from the National Housing and Planning and Advice Unit (NHPAU). The NHPAU had studied population and household formation trends at national and regional levels and had concluded that more housing was required. The Regional Office for the West Midlands had commissioned a study by Nathaniel Lichfield Partners (NLP) into the options for delivering a higher housing allocation, together with the impact that this would have within the regions.  The NLP report had concluded that it was possible to deliver higher levels of housing without undermining the urban renaissance strategy for the Region.  The examination in public into the Phase 2 Revision would not now commence until 28 April 2009 and that the proposals included an additional 1,200 dwellings for Herefordshire which would be allocated to the rural areas.  Consultees had been given until 8 December 2008 to finalise their comments about the Phase 2 Revisions.  The Phase 2 Revisions, included the revised figures and formed the starting point for the Council’s Local Development Framework. and It was therefore essential to define the Council’s position on the RSS document and the NLP study to establish a basis for the Core Strategy spatial options. 

The Committee noted the concerns of the Planning Policy Manager about the proposed distribution of the increased housing allocation between Hereford and the rest of the County.  The Phase 2 Revisions had introduced a new requirement that half of the new housing should be directed to Hereford.  This equated to a significant increase in the rates of development for Hereford, being an increase of 54% on the Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan and 50% on what had been achieved in the recent past.  Outside Hereford, the position was reversed with the rates of development proposed to fall. Past completion levels and UDP rates of development were significantly higher than those being proposed.  This had raised the issue about whether sufficient provision would be made outside the City, bearing in mind the need to accommodate for the growth of the market towns and sustainable settlements in the rural areas.  The Planning Policy Manager was of the view that the approach of the Cabinet had been a comprehensive and coherent response to the challenges facing the spatial development of the region up to the year 2026.  He also felt that the Council should maintain its broad support for the Phase 2 Revision as submitted. He was concerned however that the NLP proposals threatened the consensus which had been achieved so far and may cause significant problems in parts of the region.  Although the potential additional of 1,200 houses to the rural was not objected to, the main concern for Herefordshire remained the infrastructure necessary to accommodate the proposed level of housing growth.  However, elsewhere in the region the proposed increase in housing numbers suggested by NLP remained a matter of concern and he therefore felt that it would not be appropriate to express support for the latest proposals in their entirety.

The Committee discussed the details of the proposals and the Planning Policy Manager explained a number of issues and answered questions from Members, including the likely impact of the proposed additional 1200 houses. Councillor B Hunt had some concerns about the effect on the market towns but the Planning Policy Manager did not feel that the proposed number across rural Herefordshire and the market towns would have a detrimental effect.  In answer to a question from councillor GFM Dawe, the Planning Policy Manager said that Policy CF2 included the proposed outer distributor road amongst other issues such as higher education, retail, water treatment and the future of Hereford.  Councillor GFM Dawe expressed his opposition to the proposals for the outer distributor road.  

Councillor J Jarvis the Cabinet Member (Environment and Strategic Housing) said that he had considerable concerns about the way in which proposals were being put forward for the development of rural communities and that there were a number of concerns about the options which had been put forward by NLP.  In his view the original quotas for housing should be adhered to.  The Committee discussed the alternatives which could be moved forward. Councillor KG Grumbley proposed that the wording in the recommendation within the report could be changed from “not to object to the allocation of 1,200 additional dwellings’’ to ‘’welcome the allocation of 1,200 additional dwellings”.  Councillor J Jarvis was of the view, however, that if this was incorporated, there may be a danger that more housing could be allocated to Herefordshire if other Councils successfully objected to their allocations.  The proposal was put to the vote and the amendment to change the wording was lost.  It was decided that the recommendation as set out in the report should be approved.  Councillor GFM Dawe voted against the resolution.

RESOLVED: That it be recommended to Cabinet that the following representations be made:

(i)                 to re-affirm previous representations made in May 2008 to confirm general support for the Phase Two Revision with the reservations already set out;

(ii)not to object to the allocation of 1,200 additional dwellings in the rural areas during the plan period to 2026 as proposed in the Nathaniel Lichfield Study; and,

(iii)to express concern that the increase in housing allocations suggested in the Nathaniel Lichfield Partnership study for the Region may have adverse consequences for the overall regional strategy.