Agenda item

To consider the report of the Assistant Director: Planning and Implementation (copy enclosed).

The Council considered the report of the Assistant Director – Planning and Implementation setting out the Council’s Five-Year Housing Land Supply (5YHLS) position for publication.

The Chairperson drew Members’ attention to a supplementary paper which had been circulated prior to the meeting setting out some minor amendments to both the report and Appendix.

The report provided detailed background information regarding the Maldon District 5YHLS methodology and how following review in 2023 the Council had concluded that the methodology for the 5YHLS calculations were robust if the decisions around what went into the supply were soundly backed by evidence. Further considerations and changes that had been taken into account when calculating the current 5YHLS were set out in the report. Appendix 1 to the report provided detailed evidence that the Council could demonstrate a supply of specific, deliverable sites sufficient to provide for 6.3 years’ worth of housing against the Council’s identified housing requirements.

Members noted that the 5YHLS had increased substantially since 2021 / 22 and the report set out the reasons for this.

In response to a question, the Head of Service - Planning Policy and Implementation advised that the 5YHLS would be valid for one year starting from the date of its publication.

The Chairperson moved the recommendations set out in the report. This was duly seconded and agreed by assent.

At this point Councillor W Stamp sought confirmation when Members would be receiving a briefing on the Local Development Plan Review and requested a Member briefing raising concerns that Members were not getting enough information at the appropriate time. She noted the change to the methodology detailed in the report and commended the Working Group for taking on board what Members had been saying regarding the 5YHLS and the challenge over what to include and not include. In response, the Head of Service advised that a Member briefing would be organised following discussions with the Working Group to agree this.

The Leader of the Council agreed with the comments raised and reiterated the importance that as more policies were defined these were presented to Members along with regular updates, when appropriate. A meeting would be scheduled in the next couple of months.

Councillor A S Fluker agreed with Councillor Stamp, referred to the dramatic drop in the strategic assessment number and how the location of houses was important, especially with regarding to education. He proposed that a confidential report be brought back to the Council, to avoid delays going back through the Working Group and then coming forward to the Council. This proposal was not supported.

In response to the comments raised, the Chairperson (as Chairperson of the Planning Policy Working Group) advised that it would be logical and timely to wait until the new Working Group had met on 11 June and then have dates circulated following that. He agreed that all Members needed to contribute and be brought up to date on the work that had been done. The Chairperson advised that the points raised by Councillor Fluker and Stamp would be recorded in the Minutes.

RESOLVED

(i)             That the briefing paper appended to the report at Appendix 1and its accompanying spreadsheets (Appendix A) be endorsed as providing robust evidence that the Council can demonstrate a supply of specific, deliverable sites sufficient to provide for 6.3 years’ worth of housing against the Council’s identified housing requirements;

(ii)            That the Five-Year Housing Land Supply position be approved and published on the Council`s website.