Issue - meetings

Report of the Planning Manager attached.

RESOLVED (Unanimously) that:

1.    Cabinet approves the reviewed and amended Housing Framework and key actions be approved;

2.    the Strategic Housing Market Assessment be published on the Council’s website; and

3.    the progress made on the actions from the Housing Framework 2016-19 be noted.

The Council’s Housing Framework 2016-19 had been approved in February 2016 along with an associated action plan. The Planning Manager in presenting the report commented that there had been quite a lot of changes relating to housing since 2016 and it had been timely to review and update the Council’s framework. The Council’s revised and updated Housing Framework document was appended to the report and included an additional priority to “ensure that sustainable communities are at the heart of the growth of housing”.

Decision Made (Unanimously) that:

1.    Cabinet approves the reviewed and amended Housing Framework and key actions be approved;

2.    the Strategic Housing Market Assessment be published on the Council’s website; and

3.    the progress made on the actions from the Housing Framework 2016-19 be noted.

Reasons for Decision:

The report recommended a revised and updated Housing Framework that would help to focus Council resources and deliver increased housing numbers and the growth agenda. It set out some of the context to the update. It introduced an additional priority to “ensure that sustainable communities are at the heart of the growth of housing” to reflect the Council’s desire to enhance the quality of life of existing and future residents. It currently reflected work streams that were underway but would change over time as the details of those work streams were finalised.

It was underpinned by the Strategic Housing Market Assessment, a comprehensive research document undertaken by GL Hearn. This report was an action from the last Framework and the data underpins the ambitions of the Council in the Local Plan. Its comprehensive nature helped developers bring forward appropriate applications and assisted constructive dialogue between them and the Council. It needed to be published and the Council’s website updated.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

An alternative option would be to leave the Housing Framework unchanged, and select the year two actions from the remaining actions.  However, this would fail to take into account the new policy context and leave the Housing Framework not as responsive as it could be in dealing with housing related opportunities and challenges.In addition the analysis within the SHMA 2017 would inform developers of the types of development sought within the Local Plan and help smooth the planning process. The data was important to the process and needed to be recognised in the Council’s documentation and practices.

Report of the Director of Development, Enterprise and Communities attached.

Decision Made (Unanimously):

That consideration of this matter be deferred until the next scheduled meeting of Cabinet on 25 January 2018 as the Appendix to the report (Reviewed South Ribble Housing Framework 2017-19) had not been included in the papers for this meeting.

It was reported that the Appendix to the report (Reviewed South Ribble Housing Framework 2017-19) had not been included in the papers circulated for this meeting.

Decision Made (Unanimously):

That consideration of this matter be deferred until the next scheduled meeting of Cabinet on 25 January 2018 as the Appendix to the report (Reviewed South Ribble Housing Framework 2017-19) had not been included in the papers for this meeting.