Fears over development
Current plan could be considered out of date in November with more time still required by council to complete review
Speculative planning applications are feared with the council running out of time to complete its local plan review by the deadline.
An appeal for more time for the Horsham district to complete a review of its local plan has been rejected by Government ministers.
Horsham District Council faces seeing its current plan, which sets out how much development should take place and where, being considered out of date by the time November rolls around.
This is because when it was agreed by a planning inspector back in 2015, he mandated a review within five years.
But with this work unlikely to be completed by November, the district’s housing target would go up from 800 to 965 homes a year.
Although the area has been successful in meeting its requirements, a slowdown in the housing market and construction work all but ceasing during the pandemic could put the council in danger of not being able to demonstrate a five year housing land supply.
This could lead to speculative planning applications for housing development, which even if the council were to refuse them, might be allowed by an inspector at appeal.
Ray Dawe, leader of the council, has written to Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, setting out his concerns and requesting intervention.
He asked for the lifetime of the current local plan be extended by one year in order to help protect the district from speculative development and to give the council more time to prepare an updated plan.
But in response the Government has indicated there will be no delays to local plans.
Mr Dawe said: “Whilst the Government recognises the good work this council has done by being plan-led, I am deeply disappointed that it has not yet agreed to give this council the flexibility it needs.
“Much of the Horsham district economy is centred around the airport and its support businesses, which have been severely impacted by the pandemic, creating significant local factors which will need to be taken into account by the local plan.
“I am writing again to the Government setting out that our concerns have not been addressed and suggesting changes to national planning policy which would help to achieve this.”
The council has helped lead the response locally to the coronavirus pandemic and as well as dealing with reduced staffing levels, it has also redeployed employees who normally work in other departments, including planning, to support vital services.
The local plan review is also relying on the expertise and advice of other organisations. This includes working closely with key infrastructure providers, such as the NHS and the county council, to ensure any new development can provide necessary services and facilities.
HDC said it was likely neither would be able to provide the necessary input given they are tackling the immediate emergency ‘so are slowed in their work with us’.
In a further letter Mr Dawe highlighted how since the lockdown started construction work on all of the district’s strategic housing sites has ceased and work at the North of Horsham development has been delayed.
He suggests that housebuilding totals will fall significantly over the next 12 months and will place the council in a situation where it is unable to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply ‘owing to unprecedented market conditions outside our control’.
A number of speculative applications have already been submitted in the ‘expectation that this will be a position in which the authority will find itself ’.
Mr Dawe called on the government to suspend or extend the timeframes for the five-year housing land supply requirements and the housing delivery test.
As the council has no control over housebuilding rates it would be ‘penalised’ as a result of unprecedented world events, rather than matters within its control.
He added: “In the immediate aftermath of the lockdown, I do not see how it will be possible to explain to our communities that because of a global pandemic, that it is open season for developers to submit speculative schemes across our district.
“This will make a mockery of the plan led system at a time when it will be more important than ever to ensure that the housing development that does come forward is plan led, high quality and meets the needs of the community in order to kick start the economy in a sustainable way.”
The local plan review is well underway with the council holding a consultation on a draft plan in February and March.
Comments are being considered and the current timetable would see a consultation on a final submission draft in the autumn/winter.
The aim is for an inspector to examine this in 2021.
A HDC spokesman said: “Without the timing adjustments the council has recommended being put in place, we need to work to ensure that risks to the council and its residents are minimised as far as possible, and continue to prepare the local plan review as quickly as possible.”
This will make a mockery of the plan led system
RAY DAWE Leader of Horsham District Council