Agenda item

The report advised Members of the Mayor's Statement to the Examination regarding London Plan targets.

The Council had responded to the draft alterations to the London Plan and had objected to the proposed housing targets.  Members were requested to consider the suggested amendments to Policy 3.3 (Increasing Housing Supply) set out in Appendix 2 of the report.

It was reported that most other London boroughs continued to object to the proposed housing targets and the GLA had issued a response indicating that there had been a lack of consultation and that the target should be reduced to a figure of 500; a higher target is likely to jeopardise Green Belt land.

Councillor Mrs Anne Manning suggested the following further amendment to page 39, Appendix 1 (Chapter Three - Policy 3.3: Housing supply):--

·  Policy 3.3: Housing supply: The Mayor has considered the need to retain London wide housing provision monitoring targets particularly carefully.  He has come to the conclusion that because of the Mayor's particular strategic responsibilities and priorities for managing and coordinating housing growth sustainably in London, and the importance of housing supply to London as a whole and to the delivery of the whole range of economic, social and environmental priorities, he supports their continued retention.  While London is generally accepted to be a single housing market area, Borough boundaries adjacent to county authorities have some relevance to housing market issues for Outer London Boroughs.  Planning for housing in London is therefore more than a local issue, and the Mayor considers that this supports a strategic, citywide approach - particularly given his statutory strategic housing responsibilities.

The Chairman’s suggested amendments to the London Plan wording at Appendix 2 were reported.  Members agreed to the amendments.

Councillor Simon Fawthrop proposed that the maximum parking standards set out in the addendum (Chapter 6 - Policy 6.13: Parking), be abolished and replaced with minimum standards.  The proposal was seconded and agreed by the Committee.

RESOLVED that the report be noted and that the representations (set out in Appendix 2) to the Mayor regarding the targets contained within the London Plan be amended to read:-

"Suggested changes to replacement London Plan wording

Policy 3.3  Increasing housing supply

3.18 Table 3.1 provides authoritative indicative borough housing targets, which at LDF examinations in public may be supplemented by publicly accessible land availability information and such other information as boroughs may wish to provide. These are, however, indicative figures based on an assessment of  the potential levels of housing development that could be potentially secured but these  are subject to local considerations in the context of development proposals and changes in local policies. The indicative targets should not be used as binding to weigh in the favour of schemes that boroughs consider inappropriate or unacceptable based on their own local policies. There is the issue of the local environment in each Borough such as Green Belt and other protected land sites which will be undermined by prescriptive housing supply targets.  In addition reliance should not be placed on the particular source of housing supply. There should be no weight attached to whether indicative targets are being met through new build, change of use or house conversions.  Further details on derivation of the targets are set out in the SHLAA/HCS report. The Mayor will produce supplementary guidance on implementation of these targets.

3.21 The SHLAA/HCS methodology provides for phasing of development of individual sites in the future however, this needs to be the subject of local considerations and regarded flexibly in that context. However, an a Annual monitoring targets based on the average indicative potential capacity estimated to come forward over ten years may not fully reflect unique uncertainties in housing output arising from the impact of the current economic recession and local considerations including changes in local policies. Borough may wish to highlight the implications of these uncertainties for achievement of their targets in their Annual Monitoring Reports (AMR), drawing on the strategic context provided by the SHLAA/HCS report of study, the London Plan AMR and forthcoming Housing SPG.