Issue - meetings

Report HPR2020/28

National planning policy required Local Planning Authorities to identify a supply of housing to provide a minimum of five years’ worth of housing against their housing target.  Bromley’s five-year housing land supply (FYHLS) position was agreed by the Development Control Committee in April 2019. 

Members considered an updated housing trajectory covering the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2025).

The report concluded that the Council could not demonstrate a FYHLS.  Where a minimum of five years housing supply could not be demonstrated, the presumption in favour of sustainable development was triggered.

The Head of Planning Policy and Strategy stated that the Council was required to provide an update on the housing supply position on an annual basis.  He referred to an appeal decision on land to the rear of the former Dylon International Premises in which the Planning Inspector had concluded that Bromley was unable to demonstrate a FYHLS.

Noting that the Council only had 3.31 years’ supply for the period covering 2020/21 to 2024/25, the Chairman asked whether any further sites were likely to materialise in the near future.  The Head of Planning Policy and Strategy referred to the appendix in the report which set out the current projected supply of sites, most of which were allocated in the adopted Local Plan. Any site coming forward would need to be deliverable as per the definition set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).  Further sites may be found when a review of the Local Plan was undertaken.

Councillor Allen referred to the  NPPF (2019) which set out in paragraph 11 a presumption in favour of sustainable development and asked what practical steps could be taken to bring sites forward.  The Head of Planning Policy and Strategy stated that while the housing supply position was given more weight, it did not outweigh the Local Plan; determining development applications was therefore, a balancing exercise.

Members were informed that the definition of ‘deliverable’ was solid evidence that a site would come forward in five years or that planning permission would be granted.  The Planning Authority was not in control of applications submitted.  The FYHLS did have a windfall position with various small sites coming forward.

Following discussion on mitigation, Members were informed that there was nothing the Council could do to bring sites forward except give more weight to the housing supply when considering planning applications; permitting more housing site applications was the only way to achieve the required supply.

RESOLVED that the Bromley Housing Trajectory, including the updated five-year housing land supply position for the period 1 April 2020 – 31 March 2025 be agreed.

Councillor Allen abstained from voting.