Local plan paper to be adjusted
A CONSULTATION paper on Hart’s local plan will be adjusted before it goes out to the public.
Hart’s cabinet discussed its Housing Development Options Paper at a meeting last Thursday. The local plan steering group, which is overseeing the project, submitted a number of comments to the cabinet about the draft paper.
Cabinet members agreed that the paper should be adjusted to ensure clarity on the purpose of the document, the timetable and process for the public’s understanding.
Hart’s Local Plan is out of date and the paper hopes to determine where, and how many, homes should be built in the district.
If a new plan is not put in place, the council will have less ability to control and shape new development, with a risk that unwanted building is allowed on appeal.
The new options paper says Hart’s objectively assessed housing needs is 7,534 houses (359 per year) for 2011-2031. Allowing for completion of current developments, this leaves a shortfall of 4,018 homes.
In the 92-page document, a series of housing delivery options have been developed, presenting potential strategies under which Hart could seek to deliver its housing needs. The five options consider spreading out new homes across the district, lumping them altogether, expanding current settlements or building them on the south west of Hart furthest away from the Thames Basing Heath Special Protection Area.
Hart’s full council will consider the paper when it meets on July 31 before it goes out to the public.
When it does the documents will be available online, with hard copies in civic offices, libraries and parish offices for people to comment on.
It comes after an earlier, flawed version of the plan was thrown under just days into a public inquiry last year.