Issue - meetings

The Committee is asked to note the continued forward progress being made in preparing the new Local Plan.

The Committee noted the continued forward progress being made in preparing the new Local Plan.

The Committee received a report setting out the progress towards the new Local Plan including work on the evidence base and the Transformation Masterplan.

Officers clarified that the Transformation Master Plan incorporated plans for the whole borough and would inform and function alongside the Local Plan.

It was noted that national planning policy identified a standard method that local planning authorities were obligated to use for calculating the scale of objectively assessed housing need for their area.  However, it was highlighted that the calculation did not provide a breakdown of the different elements of housing need such as affordable housing.  Consequently there was a requirement for a revised Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) that would break down the objectively assessed housing need figure into its component parts.

Officers confirmed that the Transformation Masterplan and Housing Delivery Action Plan were on target to be available in early autumn and would present a further opportunity for Members to engage with the Local Plan process.

Accordingly the Committee noted the continued forward progress being made in preparing the new Local Plan.