Late last year, I wrote about the government’s planned increase in housing numbers for many councils. Test Valley was no exception, with an increase of 78 percent.
While we know that new development is sometimes unpopular, we also know that we need more homes to meet our communities’ needs. But we don’t just need housing. We need homes with the right infrastructure and access to good schools and GP surgeries, and public transport networks. Neighbourhoods with open spaces and community facilities for people to enjoy, socialise, and build new connections. And, critically, we need those new homes to be in the right places, with development planned in consultation with local people. The government’s decision to flick the switch and increase housing numbers by 78 percent almost overnight has made this very challenging.
Councils have to produce a local plan. This sets out our planning framework for the next 15 to 20 years and evidences how we will meet the five-year housing land supply. Because the government didn’t make provisions for adequate transitional arrangements to get local plans in place, it put councils at risk of speculative planning applications. We are, therefore, left with a ‘first past the post’ process, where those developers who can submit their application the quickest are likely to get planning permission because we don’t have a sufficient supply of homes to meet the government’s inflated housing requirement.
Some of these sites may have merit and will bring forward much-needed affordable homes. But doing it this way means that our communities are not properly involved in the strategic planning process. We all want our services and infrastructure to function, but with speculative applications, it makes that task even more difficult.
To help guard against this, we have been working at pace to amend our local plan to accommodate the increased housing numbers, and later in the summer, we will be consulting with you to ask for your feedback on the draft. We will need to make some tough decisions to ensure that the local plan identifies enough sites to meet 15,878 new homes over the next 17 years. If we don’t, we will be left with new development coming forward from applications and appeals in an ad hoc way, putting at risk our ability to make sure that those new developments are in the right places, supported by the right infrastructure. That is the worst of all options. Sadly, this is something we are seeing already, with developers submitting applications for less appropriate sites. And we are having to make incredibly difficult decisions about fighting appeals against homes in the wrong places, because our inability to suddenly meet the new five-year housing land supply target means that we no longer have a strong enough argument to defend them. We know this frustrates you, just as much as it frustrates us. But this is the reality for all councils that have seen a sudden spike in their housing figures.
So, while there will be compromises along the way, our local plan consultation will be your opportunity to tell us what you do want. Please do get involved and share your feedback. While we have no control over the government’s decision to increase the housing figure, we can work together to make sure that those additional homes are in the best places. And those new communities, as well as our existing communities, are given the best chance to thrive.
Cllr. Phil North
Leader of the Test Valley Borough Council
