Council to press on with plan for homes

HARROGATE BOROUGH Council will forge ahead with a plan to build at least 14,049 homes in the district over the next two decades, despite a mathematical error being identified that pins the actual minimum required as 13,377.

The 672-dwelling discrepancy was highlighted during the first week of hearings into Harrogate’s draft local plan.

Keep The Hammerton Green (KTHG), an action group advising against development in the Hammerton area, had written to council with various criticism of the Housing and Economic Development Needs Assessment (HEDNA) figures used to calculate the Objectively Assessed Need for houses.

Top of the list of critiques was that the calculated figure was based off an “arithmetic” error, with the assumption of there being 20 years in the period 20142035, instead of 21.

The council published their reply online on January 14, stating that KTHG’s assessment was correct. It means the housing need in Harrogate is reduced by 4.8 per cent per annum, or 32 homes a year.

However, the council indicated that the change does not indicate a need to reduce allocations as the OAN is a minimum target, stating the overall numbers set out for the 2014-2035 period in the HEDNA correct.

“By planning for more homes than the housing requirement the council is building a level of flexibility in order to maintain a five-year supply during the life of the plan in case some sites do not come forward as anticipated,” the council’s response reads.

Cabinet member for planning Coun Rebecca Burnett said the council would continue with the original statistics. Hearings will resume on Tuesday January 22, on site allocations in Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough.