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Title:
Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS): Housing
Date:
14 - 12 - 2006
GL Hearn Review
The Department of Communities and Local Government has now issued Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3) Housing. The new PPS3 replaces both PPG3 and Circular 6/98, and has been developed in response to recommendations in the Barker Review (March 2004).
Local planning authorities are not required to have regard to the Statement as a material consideration when making decisions on planning applications until 1 April 2007 but it may be capable of being a material consideration, in certain circumstances, before that date.
Key features include:
• Greater emphasis on improving the quality of design of housing and neighbourhoods. PPS3 makes it clear that local authorities should turn down poor quality applications. Detailed advice is provided concerning the assessment of design quality;
• A new definition of affordable housing, to exclude low-cost market housing, therefore local planning authorities should take account of the need to deliver low cost market housing as part of the overall housing mix;
• Achieving a mix of market and affordable housing. Local planning authorities are advised to specify:
- The likely proportion of households that need market or affordable housing
- The profile of household types requiring affordable housing;
- The size and type of affordable housing required.
• Developers and planning bodies will have to take account of the need to reduce carbon emissions in addition to wider environmental and sustainability considerations when considering the siting and design of new homes;
• Local Development Documents should set out a strategy for the planned location of new housing which contributes to the achievement of sustainable development. There will be a continuing focus on brownfield land, with local authorities setting their own local targets to reflect available sites and support the national target;
• More flexibility for local authorities to determine how and where new homes should be built in their area, alongside greater responsibility to ensure the homes are built;
• Rather than one broad density range, local authorities may set out a range of densities across the plan area, although 30 dwellings per hectare should be used as a national indicative minimum until local density policies are in place;
• Well designed development can enhance the character of areas, and intensification does not have to result in high rise development or low quality accommodation; whilst in conservation areas if good design is achieved new opportunities can be addressed without adverse impacts on their character or appearance;
• Greater emphasis is placed on family housing and that for the elderly; and there is a focus on the need for play and recreation space in addition to gardens. There is less emphasis on the formal sequential approach to the identification of sustainable residential development sites;
• Local authorities will need to identify in their Local Development Documents locations and sites that will enable delivery of a 15 year supply of housing land from the date of adoption;
• In determining planning applications:
- Where local planning authorities have an up-to-date 5 year supply of land, and sites come forward which are not yet in the up-to-date 5 year supply, local authorities will need to consider whether granting permission would undermine the achievement of policy;
- Where there is no up-to-date 5 year supply, local authorities should consider favourably planning applications for housing;
- Local planning authorities should not refuse applications solely on the grounds of prematurity.
Viewpoint
The opportunities:
• Flexibility for local authorities to be proactive in locating development;
• Assists delivery of further sites;
• Allows consultants/developers to pressure local authority on targets and deliverability of sites, local authority accountability;
• Density targets to be set by local authorities with only an indicative national minimum target set;
• Opportunities to assist local authorities to deliver and find sites for continuous supply;
• Removal of prematurity rule allows developers to progress sites even if LPA’s have not finished drafting LDF's.
The challenges:
• Pre-application undertakings increase due to potential comprehensive urban design requirements;
• Lead in time to application time increase due to potential further urban design and sustainability considerations;
• Local authority resources stretched further in order to identify sites and meet targets;
• Affordable Housing to be secured in perpetuity.
GL Hearn can assist by offering:
• Integrated, innovative planning and development advice;
• A development team of some 60 professionals across the UK that includes planners, residential and commercial surveyors, development agents and affordable housing experts.
• In-house environmental and sustainability consultancy;
• Comprehensive design consideration as part of our overall planning service;
• In-house affordable housing expertise on a local and strategic level;
• Local Development Framework review process which can highlight and identify sites.
[alastair_crowdy@glhearn.com]
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