horndeanmatters

A few years ago the local plan was prepared (Where Housing will be built in the area) and this ran from 2016 to 2028. For Horndean this allocated the bulk of the new housing to Land East Of Horndean, and Clanfield to Windmill Farm.

The local plan needs to be reviewed every 5 years to make sure that we are on track with our housing delivery, and to leap a further 5 years forward so it is a rolling programme.

Housing Delivery.

Across EHDC we need to be building out about 600 homes per year (including in the South Downs National Park). For us to be able to control where housing goes and stick to the Local Plan, we need to have a 5 year supply of granted permissions, Currently we have about 7.5 years of permissions so can refuse development outside of the settlement policy boundary. Whitehill and Bordon, LEOH and some larger developments in Horndean have made significant contributions to this delivery.

We also need to be achieving 40% affordable housing outputs and have been doing well against this.

Look ahead to 2036. 

The next plan period will run to 2036 and we need to identify where these additional years housing will be allocated to ensure the infrastructure (schooling, highways etc) can go with it.

Essentially we will need to start looking at the ‘nest least worst’ places to build across the district.

Risks.

The housing need is calculated by a complex formula laid down by central government. We know that this (and past governments) have been looking for ways to increase the rate of building so they may change the formulae. The problem with this is that developers carefully balance supply and demand – they keep the house building rate at a point where it generates good prices and sales. build too many and you have cash tied up in homes that aren’t selling and need to reduce prices.

The South Downs National Park Authority is its own planning district and is a colossal NIMBY. The park has protection against development but they too need to take the right number of homes in the right places to prevent the park towns from stagnating.

Portsmouth also needs to allow for growth – but is fairly built out. that means adjacent areas need to take on their housing. We need to be making sure that Havant help here and this also generates more affordable housing.

The allocated sites for 2029 to 2036 need to be ring fenced for these years. this doesn’t want to be a way to enable early development of any new sites.

Next Steps.

EHDC is open to new housing – but in the right places and with the right facilities. We are looking to direct more new homes into the former army bases at Whitehill and Bordon but will need also to start considering options in Horndean and Clanfield again.

EHDC have announced another “call for sites” (invitation for land owners to put their land forward) at which point they are assessed for sustainability. I would anticipate that we will again hold local consultations to seek a view on which ones we should consider or rule out.

Again we will be looking to protect the sites we have in the past and over the next 18 months will need you to help by attending the consultations when they are announced. (probably later this year).

Keep reading this blog for updates and information on the next steps.