Agenda item

Council received a report in order to seek Council’s decision on its approach to tackling its housing land supply shortfall, specifically how we deal with planning applications for unallocated sites in advance of the new Local Development Plan being adopted in December 2021. This decision relates to the Monmouthshire Local Planning Authority area only: it does not affect that part of the county falling within the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Ahead of the presentation the Chair welcomed Ms. Helen Ronchetti, a member of the public who requested to speak on the recommendation of the report, which she believed to be contrary to WG decision to suspend paragraph 6.2 however government have stated that it is up to the decision maker to decide the weight it gives to the lack of housing supply.  As a resident of Monmouthshire, Ms. Ronchetti believed that continuing to apply paragraph 6.2 undermines the democratic process of allocating land according to the LDP.  She urged MCC to seriously consider the impact of continuing to apply paragraph 6.2 despite WG recommendation to dis-apply it.

The Cabinet Member acknowledged the concerns of residents, but recognised the overriding concern that the LDP is not bringing forward the number of houses anticipated.  He suggested the wording of the recommendation be amended to use the term ‘appropriate weight’ rather than ‘considerable weight.

The Cabinet Member also proposed the following amended recommendation:

Council will give appropriate weight to our housing land shortfall in considering planning applications.  This means that our current housing land supply shortfall will be a material planning consideration when considering planning applications.  However, it does not have considerable or over-riding weight, and the ‘ground-rules’ set out in paragraph 5.17 must be adhered to.

This decision ceases to have effect should we regain a five year land supply and/or meet the LDP housing shortfall identified in this report.

The size and mix of the proposed dwellings is both suitable for the location and seeks to address our demographic challenges

Any planning permissions will have a reduced lifespan; full planning permissions shall be commenced within 2 years, and outline planning permissions shall be followed by reserved matters within 1 year, with commencement within 1 year of approval of the reserved matters.

Applications recommended for approval shall be accompanied by a Unilateral Undertaking by the time they are presented to Planning Committee.

The Chair called a 10 minutes recess to assess the amendment.

Concerns were raised around the affordable housing gap.  The Head of Planning, Housing and Place Shaping explained that we can specify the mix to meet our identified needs, so via this proposal we would have the guaranteed 35% affordable housing, which may be social rented or low-cost home ownership on a flexible basis.

Councillor Howard registered concerns that this could trigger a rush of development proposals of the kind we have always resisted, for good reasons.  He added that as far as the democratic process is concerned, and the lack of public participation, this may not send a good message to those who took part in the development of the existing LDP.

The Cabinet Member summed up that our current housing land supply shortfall will be a material planning consideration when considering planning applications.

Upon being put to the vote Council resolved to agree the amended recommendation:

That, when considering planning applications for residential development on unallocated sites, the Council gives ‘appropriate weight’ to its lack of a five year housing land supply, insofar as those development proposals are otherwise acceptable in planning terms and that the following ‘ground rules’ are met:

•           Residential development is unacceptable in principle within undefended flood plain (zone C2) or on greenfield sites within defended flood plain (zone C1), as per national planning policy and TAN15;

•           Residential development is unacceptable in principle within allocated Green Wedges: the appropriate time to review Green Wedge designations is via the new LDP;

•           Residential development is unacceptable in principle on allocated employment sites. Such sites will not be released for housing development unless full compliance with LDP Policy E1 can be demonstrated and there is no realistically likely future demand for the site for employment purposes;

•           Unallocated sites are required to deliver 35% affordable housing and no negotiation will be entertained (60% where the development relates to a Main Village);

•           The development must be acceptable in other planning terms. If infrastructure is inadequate to support new development, and it cannot be satisfactorily improved via a S106 planning agreement, permission would normally be refused. This includes matters such as highway capacity, school capacity, primary health care and air quality;

•           The scale of additional residential development will be considered in the context of the LDP spatial strategy, both in its own right and cumulatively with other approved residential development.

•           Development should be restricted to the Main Towns, Severnside, and Rural Secondary Settlements (with the exception of Llanfoist where there shall be no additional development on unallocated sites outside of the new LDP); and small 60% affordable housing sites in those Main Villages without an allocated site (namely St Arvans and Llandogo).

•           The size and mix of the proposed dwellings is both suitable for the location and seeks to address our demographic challenges;

•           Any planning permissions will have a reduced lifespan: full planning permissions shall be commenced within 2 years, and outline planning permissions shall be followed by reserved matters within 1 year, with commencement within 1 year of approval of the reserved matters;

•           Applications recommended for approval shall be accompanied by a Unilateral Undertaking by the time they are presented to Planning Committee;

•           This decision ceases to have effect should we regain a five year land supply and/or meet the LDP housing shortfall identified in this report.

This means that our current housing land supply shortfall will be a material planning consideration when considering planning applications.  However, it does not have ‘considerable’ or ‘over-riding’ weight, and the ‘ground-rules’ set out above must be adhered to.