Agenda and minutes

Note – this item will include a presentation by Opinion Research Services (ORS).

The Panel considered a report presenting the findings of the West Essex and East Hertfordshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) which sought approval to use the SHMA as part of the evidence base to inform and support preparation of the District Plan, and for housing strategy purposes.

Jonathan Lee, of Opinion Research Services (ORS), gave a presentation on the West Essex and East Hertfordshire SHMA and the process that had been used to establish a housing projection for this area.  He also explained the household projections, the objectively assessed need and the final housing requirement.

In response to various Members comments and questions, the Panel was advised that migrants were an important part of the overall housing need but that no specific information existed regarding migrants and Stansted Airport.

In respect of factors attracting people to housing in a particular area, the Panel was advised that a number of local factors influenced house prices and demand outstripping supply was one of a number of important considerations that Members should take into account.

The Panel supported the recommendation now detailed.

RECOMMENDED – that the West Essex and East Hertfordshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA), September 2015, be agreed as part of the evidence base to inform and support preparation of the East Herts District Plan, and for housing strategy purposes.

The Panel considered a report presenting the findings of the economic evidence prepared for the Co-operation for Sustainable Development Board (The Board) to support the development of the Objectively Assessed Housing Need (OAHN) for West Essex and East Herts who shared a housing market area.  The report also sought the Panel’s agreement to use the report as part of the evidence base to inform and support preparation of the District Plan.

The Panel was advised that a range of future job growth figures were available ranging from 435 to 505 additional jobs per year.  The subsequent uplift in the housing projection would ensure that these jobs would be filled from within the Strategic Housing Market Area (SHMA) area.

The Panel supported the recommendation now detailed.

RECOMMENDED – that the Economic Evidence to Support the Development of the OAHN for West Essex and East Herts, September 2015, be agreed as part of the evidence base to inform and support preparation of the East Herts District Plan.

The Panel considered a report that discussed the transportation issues related to the A414, Hertford which had been identified by Hertfordshire County Council as Transport Authority, and the consequential implications that had arisen in respect of progressing the District Plan.

The Panel Chairman advised that, related to matters being considered in the agenda report,  Hertfordshire County Council had set up a working group that encompassed the 4 Local Authorities that sat along the A414.  She referred to the fact that a potential 35,000 additional dwellings were being planned which would rely on this road for access.

The Panel were advised that the report acknowledged the strategic constraints of the A414 particularly through Hertford and the impact this could have on the delivery of housing to 2031.

The Panel supported the recommendations now detailed.

RECOMMENDED – that (A) the contents of the letter dated 27 July 2015 from Hertfordshire County Council Highways Development Management in respect of transportation issues identified on the A414, Hertford, be noted; and

(B)   Hertfordshire County Council be urged to give highest priority to expediting the completion of its COMET transportation model and publication of its emerging Transportation Vision and that East Herts Council was most willing to assist this process, if considered appropriate.

The Panel considered a report presenting the findings of the Delivery Study, September 2015 which sought agreement that they should form part of the evidence base to inform and support preparation of the District Plan.

Members were referred to Essential Reference Paper ‘B’ of the report submitted for the East Herts Strategic Sites Delivery Study that assessed the four strategic sites and the amount of infrastructure required to support development in these locations.   The report concluded that development to the East of Welwyn Garden City, North and East of Ware and South of Bishop’s Stortford could be considered to be developable. The term developable meant that it was expected that these sites would come forward in year 6 onwards of the District Plan period.

As regards Gilston, one issue that needed a resolution was satisfying the Environment Agency and Thames Water regarding the approach to sewage water treatment and drainage.  The second issue was the provision of a second crossing over the River Stort.

The Panel was referred to Essential Reference Paper ‘C’ of the report submitted, for a report regarding the viability of the District Plan as well affordable housing and the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) study.  The report indicated that the majority of development scenarios in the District would be considered to be financially viable.

Following an observation from Councillor E Buckmaster regarding the District Plan preferred options, the Panel was advised that Peter Brett Associates had suggested that it would be inappropriate to leave questions on infrastructure delivery to future Development Plan Documents.  The Council would need to decide how to approach this issue in due course.

The Panel Chairman and the Head of Planning and Building Control confirmed to Councillor T Page that the Panel was not in a fully informed position to articulate whether the CIL could provide a more fail safe method for the provision of affordable housing than the existing Section 106 process.

The Planning Policy Team Leader advised that Officers would bring a report in respect of CIL to the Panel meeting in December 2015.  Members were also advised that the Local Authorities covering Dacorum and Three Rivers had just received their first CIL payments and St Albans City and District Council was also now in a position to be in receipt of its first CIL payments.

The Panel supported the recommendation now detailed.

RECOMMENDED – that the Delivery Study, September 2015, be agreed as part of the evidence base to inform and support preparation of the East Herts District Plan.

The Chairman welcomed the public to the meeting.  She also welcomed Jonathan Lee from Opinion Research Services (ORS).

The Chairman advised that as there would be nothing significant for the Panel to consider at its meeting on 19 November 2015, this meeting had been cancelled.  The next meeting of the Panel was scheduled for 17 December 2015.

Members were reminded of a meeting of the East Herts Association of Parish and Town Councils on 2 November 2015.  The meeting scheduled for 25 November 2015 had been cancelled.

Finally, the Panel Chairman referred to the technical and factual evidence detailed in the Agenda.  She referred, in particular, to conflicts that the District Plan would have to address.  She highlighted the procedures and timescales for the production of the draft District Plan in 2016.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 10 September 2015.

RESOLVED – that the Minutes of the Panel meeting held on 10 September 2015 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Councillor P Ruffles declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in the matter referred to in minute 10, on the grounds that he owned a home on the route of the A414.  He remained in the room as he was not a Member of the District Plan Executive Panel that was making the decision on this matter.