1. Planning for New Housing in Dacorum
James Doe, Assistant Director – Planning, Development and Regeneration
20 February 2018

2. Today National Policy – Housing growth and role of rural housing
Dacorum’s response and new Local Plan
Accommodating growth in the rural area
Neighbourhood Planning

3. Government Policy – common thread of housing delivery

4. Government Policy – common thread of housing delivery
“The Government has unveiled a raft of measures which it hopes will stimulate the housing market, encourage more developers to build and increase transparency around land ownership”
“…the government wants a standardised framework for calculating what needs to be built. Councils that miss their targets may have to surrender control over planning to central government”
Sajid Javid sets out fix for ‘broken’ housing market
Proposals aim to spur councils and developers to build more quickly

5. Our Current Local Plan - the Dacorum Core Strategy
Adopted 2013 – early review needed
Annual target of 430 homes - but considerably less than housing need
Area under-delivering at about 400 homes/year
Work on New Local Plan has to progress now

6. Dacorum’s New Local Plan
Need to look at:
housing need
the Green Belt
co-operation with neighbouring Councils
employment, shopping and infrastructure needs.
Need to cover the period up to 2036.

7. The SHMA identifies an overall housing need (2013-2036) as follows:
Existing housing target per year
New housing need per year
Percentage increase over existing target
Dacorum
430
756 (17,388)
76%
Hertsmere
266
599
125%
St Albans
360
705
96%
Three Rivers
180
514
186%
Watford
260
577
122%
SW Herts total
1,496
3,151
111%

8. What do the numbers indicate?
Source of Housing provision
Upper Government Figure
(c1,100/yr)
Locally assessed need
(756/yr)
Draft Government figure
(602/yr)
Number of homes
25,300
17,400
13,846
Total of presumed housing coming forward*
10, 940
Balance outstanding (which would need to be provided on sites in the Green Belt)
14,360
6,460
2,906

9. Growth Scenarios for Dacorum
Housing growth levels consulted on
Draft Government figure, 602/year
Locally assessed need, currently 756/year
Upper Government figure, c1,100/year
Suggested geographic distributions
Focus on three towns
Greater focus at Hemel Hempstead
More Dispersed across Borough

10. Current infrastructure issues in the Parishes
Kings Langley:
Library has limited opening hours and will shortly be operated by volunteers.
Lack of early morning and late evening bus services
Bovingdon:
Overall bus service is poor – no service after 6.30pm weekdays and none at all on Sundays.
Lack of parking in village centre
Little Gaddesden:
Bus service constantly under threat.
It is essential to have a car to access services and facilities.
Tring Rural:
Very limited bus service.
Heavily reliant on Tring for services / facilities

11. Next Steps on the Local Plan
Analyse consultation responses
Liaison with nearby Councils – strategic approach
Awaiting new National Planning Policy Framework and confirmed housing need figures for Dacorum – March / April?
Prepare draft plan with locations and policies for consultation
Timescale to be determined
Examination, Modification and Adoption

12. Planning for new housing in the rural area
What the Housing White Paper says…
give much stronger support for sites that provide affordable homes for local people
highlight the opportunities that neighbourhood plans present for identifying and allocating sites that are suitable for housing, drawing on the knowledge of local communities;
identify opportunities for villages to thrive, especially where this would support services and help meet the need to provide homes for local people who currently find it hard to live where they grew up;
at least 10% of the sites allocated for residential development in local plans

13. Where can rural housing go?
Large villages excluded from the Green Belt
Defined larger villages
Countryside generally

14. Achieving Rural Housing
Rural Housing has an important role to play
Identifying sites in the Local Plan
The Exceptions approach
Land outside the ‘village envelope’
For affordable housing only
Needs housing need survey
Backing of Parish Council
Identified Registered Provider

15. Neighbourhood Planning
Dacorum’s first Neighbourhood Plan
Unparished area – Neighbourhood Forum had to be established
Referendum 15 Feb 2018
77% voted YES

16. Closing conclusions Unprecedented pressure for new housing growth
Need for rural housing is very high
Engage with your Council’s Local Plan process
Achieving rural housing is hard work
Consider exception sites
Consider a Neighbourhood Plan

17. Thank you
and
questions