Agenda item

To receive an update from the Director of City Development on progress made in relation to the recommendations of the Scrutiny Board in its 2016 Housing Mix inquiry. 

 

The report of the Director of City Development updated the Board on progress made in responding to the recommendations arising from the Board’s 2015/16 inquiry into Housing Mix, which focused on the delivery of Policy H4 as expressed in the Core Strategy.

 

The following were in attendance for this item:

 

-  Cllr Helen Hayden – Executive Member

-  Martin Elliot – Head of Strategic Planning, City Development

-  Sarah Hellewell - Principal Planner, City Development

-  Ian Mackey – Team Leeder, Neighbourhood Planning

-  Christa Jolley – Executive Mgr. Regeneration

The Principal Planner provided an update on progress and activity relating to each of the recommendations.

 

Recommendation 3

 

All members were invited to a training session on viability led by the District Valuer in August 2021. Viability training is now part of the annual programme of training for elected members.

 

Viability appraisals are submitted depending on site circumstances with affordable housing the biggest S106 cost for developers. 

 

Members expressed concern that viability may be used by some developers to avoid fulfilling commitments to deliver affordable housing on individual sites.

 

An update was provided in relation to the pipeline for brownfield development. Contrary to previous trends, most housing completions are now in the city centre.

 

The Head of Strategic Planning advised the Board that the current pipeline of development within the city will help to ensure that the council maintains its five year land supply.

 

The Council continues to be successful in securing funding via WYCA to help clean up brownfield sites so they can be released for development.

 

Members sought reassurance that the process for testing viability is robust.

 

Officers advised the Board that national guidance makes provision for viability and the planning inspector asked for a line in the affordable housing policy strategy that specifically stated “subject to viability.”

 

Evidence relating to viability is scrutinised by the district valuer. There are currently a lot of viability appraisals being submitted in relation to the ‘build to rent’ model of housing development, which is a relatively new model for Leeds.

 

The Council is working with partners to interrogate the viability case strategically within the city centre to see if there is a need to look at managing the policy in a different way.

 

It was agreed that Recommendation 3 remains at Position Status 4.

 

Recommendation 4

 

The Council is exploring options to provide further training for officers who carry out Housing Needs Assessments. 

 

Plans Panel often highlight supply as a concern in relation to Housing Needs Assessments.

 

Housing Market Assessments collate data to determine the state of the housing market in specific localities. Recent HMAs have included Lincoln Green, Holbeck and Morley.

 

Holbeck and Lincoln Green assessments are intended to support the Council’s wider priority neighbourhoods approach. The Morley assessment will support the development of the local Town Plan as well.

 

HMAs are very data driven and are used to determine how the Council targets resources in different areas of the city. HMAs can be provided to members on request.

 

The Board reiterated that housing remains a key concern for communities right across the city. As such members are keen to engage wherever possible with where documentation is being produced that may influence the final shape of development within localities. 

 

It was agreed that Recommendation 4 remains at Position Status 4.

 

Recommendation 5

 

Members were provided with an update on outcomes for the city in relation to Neighbourhood Plans. There are 19 plans in place.

 

There is significant variety of Neighbourhood Plans in Leeds and they different reflect solutions for the needs of different communities. Support is being provided for a further 15 plans. 

 

Neighbourhood Plans have the potential to deliver a range of outcomes for communities – for example, through local green space designation.

 

Leeds is taking part in a Government pilot of a new approach to neighbourhood planning, focused on encouraging more Neighbourhood Plans to be developed by disadvantaged communities and in a simplified form. Harehills and Chapeltown will be taking part in the pilot.

It is hoped that future neighbourhood plans will reflect the increased importance of the impact of climate change on development.

 

Members expressed concern about levels of engagement in referendums on Neighbourhood Plans.

 

In Leeds around 3000 people are members in Neighbourhood Planning groups and many more involved in the planning and consultation process. That level of engagement is an important means of building community capacity to engage with future consultations on other planning issues.

 

It was agreed that Recommendation 5 remains at Position Status 4.

 

 Recommendation 8

 

Attention was drawn to the tables in the report detailing the progress in delivering improved housing mix across the city.

 

Consideration of housing mix at pre-application and application stage has secured improved delivery of three-bedroom homes in the city centre.

 

There has been a significant increase in the delivery of two bedroom properties and a decrease in four bedroom properties, both of which have been identified as areas of concern for the Board in the past.

 

The Board discussed concerns about the conversion of office space to residential accommodation.

 

The Board was advised that of the affordable housing completions over the last eight years 50% have come through registered providers, 25% through S106 delivery and 25% through council housing delivery.

 

600 affordable homes were delivered last year, which is the highest rate for more than ten years. It was noted that in addition to targets for in-year need, further homes are needed to address a historic backlog in delivery.

 

The Council is working with registered partners to look at how sufficient levels of affordable housing can be delivered. Barriers to delivery include land availability and ensuring affordability in the context of increasing construction prices.

 

Members discussed the consistency implementation of affordable housing requirements within city centre planning applications. Members agreed that further clarity is now required within the policy to strengthen requirements for the delivery of appropriate housing mix.

 

The Council is currently scoping the next local plan update – it may be that the sections on housing mix are updated to reflect the changing context for development over the last decade.

Ambitions to diversify the city centre market and deliver more family homes should also be considered within the context of wider investment in city centre place making to provide a family offer.

 

Currently targets for housing mix are within the supporting text of the policy and therefore do not carry the same weight as the uppercase provisions.

 

Members explored how funds provided in lieu of affordable housing can be used to support wider development. Further information about the use of commuted sums in different areas of the city can be provided to members. The Board agreed this was an issue that members would like to explore in more detail.

 

It was agreed that Recommendation 8 remains at Position Status 4.

 

Recommendation 9

 

Officers are in the process of re-drafting the Implementation Note and a final version will be provided to members in due course.

 

Concern was expressed by Board members about the ranges reflected in planning policy, which are designed to enable flexibility.

 

The ‘ebb and flow’ in the delivery of affordable housing through Homes England funding was outlined and members were advised of changes in the way in which the structure of government funding will change.

 

It was agreed that Recommendation 9 remains at Position Status 4.

 

Recommendation 10

 

Following the adoption of the Core Strategy, policies H8, 9 and 10 relating to space standards and older people have been embedded in practice. The monitoring of the outcome of the application of those policies will come to the Board via the formal performance routes.

 

It was agreed that Recommendation 10 remains at Position Status 4.

 

RESOLVED –

 

The following position status was agreed for each of the following recommendations:

 

·  Recommendation 3: Position Status 4

·  Recommendation 4: Position Status 4

·  Recommendation 5: Position Status 4

·  Recommendation 8: Position Status 4

·  Recommendation 9: Position Status 4

·  Recommendation 10: Position Status 4

 

Members agreed that a recommendation should be provided to the successor board that further work on the use of commuted sums is carried out in 2022/23.