Maths Lesson – Housing Land Supply
Housing Land Supply (HLS) is always a thorny issue… It caused headaches for the previous Government to the point where they scrapped them…the new Labour Government came in and immediately reinstated them and the revised NPPF that is being consulted on (I hope you have responded) is moving it back up the good old five-year requirement (as opposed to the current mix-and-match four years).
So, with that in mind, let the lesson commence.
Last week, Planning Resource published an extraordinarily informative interactive map that tells you everything you need to know about HLS across the entire England and I have had hours of fun studying it. It tells you the numbers the Council think they have (and published) and then the number that was determined at an appeal (very few don’t have that difference in the numbers).
Now, you have to remember that Mr Starmer is all about numbers (and defending them even if they are controversial) so now is the time for Councils to start paying attention. The answer is 370,000 new homes X 4 that should equal 1.5 million (don’t split hairs, I know it’s 1.48 million). To get to that answer, it means that Councils are going to have to grab the bull by the horns and start delivering… and no, there are no “special” cases where you are exempt because your voters think their property prices will go down. Everyone will have to do their sums and come up with a 5YHLS. Hooray!
The map demonstrates quite graphically where there are councils that are good at the sums and is doing their bit. Now in this case, Teacher does have pets and there are some places I want to praise for doing their sums right. South Cambs has 6.5 years, Vale of White Horse is over 6, Maldon (Essex) is around 6, Shropshire is over 6, Dover is on about 6, Woking on 9… These are the A+ students. Well done you! There aren’t that many of you, so if you are there, you have something to be proud of.
Then you have the Councils who are doing a good job and are on or around the 5YHLS mark, places like Test Valley (Hants) on exactly 5, Mid Sussex also on 5, West Suffolk on about 5, Colchester just over 5, Cambridge City on about 5, North Warwickshire on about 5, High Peak (Derbyshire) on about 5. So, if you are on that list. Well done you but keep it up… you don’t want to slip.
Then you get to the next group. The ones that are in trouble and are failing… some are “B’s and C’s” who can get to “A” with some work but there are also a lot who are failing and are failing very badly. Tandridge (Surrey) is on about 1.5, St Albans (Herts) on 1.7, Sandwell (W-Mids) on 1.6, Basildon (Essex) 1.9, Havant (Hants) 1.8… You need to pull your socks up. You are letting down the entire team.
If you want to know more about where you have projects, get in touch!
Speak soon!
Henry
07736121014 or henry@theccp.net