Agenda item

Purpose of report

To recommend that the Council approves the publication of a Regulation 18 Local Plan - Proposed Housing and Mixed-Use Site Allocations consultation for a period of eight weeks.

Decision

That Cabinet:

1. Approves the consultation of the Regulation 18 Local Plan - Proposed Housing and Mixed-use Site Allocations (Appendix A of the report) in accordance with the timetable contained within the Council’s Local Development Scheme (approved by Cabinet February 2025).

2. Delegate authority to the Assistant Director (Planning and Growth), in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning, to make any minor amendments to the document (in order to correct matters of fact or aid clarity to the reader) prior to its publication for consultation purposes.

Alternative options considered and rejected

The alternative of not publishing a consultation on a Regulation 18 Proposed Housing Land Allocation consultation had been discounted. Whilst the Council had already discharged Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning Act (Local Planning) (England) 2012 by publishing the Issues & Options and Draft Local Plan consultations, it was best practice to keep the community informed and to seek further comment, as the plan evolved.

Publishing the consultation would also ensure that the Local Plan stayed on track and adhered to the timetable set out in the Council’s Local Development Scheme.

Reasons for the decision

The primary reason for the decision was to ensure the Council had an up-to-date legally compliant Local Plan and met the agreed published timetable.

A year ago South Kesteven District Council was at an advanced stage of reviewing the Local Plan. There was then a General Election in July 2024 when both of the biggest parties promised to get Britain building again. The new government promised to build 1.5 million houses. Government published a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), with big changes to how housing need was calculated. The changes made by national government had substantially increased South Kesteven District’s annual housing need from 701 (as published through 2024 Draft Local Plan) to 886 dwellings per year, an uplift of 185 dwellings per year. This meant that the Local Plan’s minimum housing need was 17,720 dwellings across the plan period (2023-2043).

The Planning Policy Manager gave a presentation to Cabinet, highlighting the following points:

• The Council was on track to publish its Regulation 19 document this year. The introduction of the new NPPF had forced the Council to take a step back to Regulation 18 due to the need to find additional sites. Consultation on the new Regulation 18 Local Plan was scheduled to start in early July 2025.
• If any members of the public wished to be added to the Local Plan database, they were to contact the Council. All those on the consultation database would be contacted directly when consultation started. The consultation would also be publicised through the usual communications channels and social media.
• Over the plan period of 20 years, up to 2043, there was now a need to build an additional 3700 homes.
• The Planning team received a large volume of sites (350) through a Call for Sites and all sites were assessed for constraints and suitability.
• Over 50 planning constraints were used as part of the site assessment process. Important stakeholders such as Natural England, and Lincolnshire County Council as the lead flood authority and highways authority were involved in these assessments.
• The Council had a duty to allocate land to meet the identified accommodation needs of their Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople community. The need identified through the 2024 Gypsy & Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment was for 40 pitches. A suitable site was submitted through a second Call for Sites which had been proposed for allocation through the upcoming consultation.
• Identified site constraints did not automatically discount a site from allocation as mitigation may be possible.

Sites identified around the district were highlighted to members:

• Grantham – a proposed allocation at Belton Lane had been removed due to significant highways constraints.  A 2ha Gypsy and Traveller site allocation was proposed is to the south of Gorse Lane.
• Deepings – a proposed allocation at Millfield Road had been removed and development steered to the east of The Deepings. The site identified to the south of Market Deeping was sited within the boundaries of Peterborough City Council and was currently being consulted on through the draft Peterborough Local Plan. South Kesteven District Council had submitted comments.
• Stamford – Stamford Exeter Fields site had been altered to a mixed-use site including 105 dwellings and employment land. Stamford had a number of constraints which limits development, including with the Rutland administrative boundary.
• Bourne – an additional strip of land to the north of the allocation at Mill Drove was proposed for allocation.  The draft policy stipulated that no houses be developed beyond the existing built development line.  The land can instead be used for open space and biodiversity net gain. A further allocation was proposed to the west of Bourne.
• Villages – there was an increase in draft housing allocations proposed in Colsterworth, Corby Glen, Ancaster, Barrowby, Baston and Harlaxton. Numbers of dwellings were indicative only and may change at the planning permission stage.
• Total supply of housing would amount to approximately 19,672 homes, including a buffer of 11% for contingency. The buffer in the 2024 Draft Local Plan was around 20%. Officers have had to make difficult decisions to meet the increased demand for housing.

The following comments were highlighted during the debate:

• The consultation would be for 8 weeks and officers could only accept comments submitted through that process.
• Comments previously submitted through the process were already noted; this consultation primarily dealt with changes that have been carried out. Comments are welcomed on these changes.
• The Planning team had visited each proposed site to check suitability and feasibility.
• There would be public engagement events throughout the consultation process and copies of the draft Local Plan will be held at South Kesteven offices and local libraries.
• Two briefings to Cabinet members had been held alongside two additional briefings to all Councillors. There have been some slight changes between each briefing.
• People cannot edit or remove previous comments submitted through the consultation process but they were welcome to make new comments.
• This plan represented the best of the options that came forward. The Council had to find nearly 30% more homes than last year to meet new government targets.
• The Council was committed to strengthening services and amenities available within towns and villages in line with population growth. It was hoped that residents would support in lobbying government.
• It had taken a significant amount of time for each site to be assessed, as such further site submissions are not encouraged.
• In the current Local Plan there were no Gypsy and Traveller site allocations; this had been commented on by the Planning Inspectorate. It was noted that South Kesteven needed to urgently allocate sites. If no allocations were made through the new Local Plan the Council would be in the same position as it was now; any planning application before the Council could be weighed in favour of permission because the Council did not currently have sites allocated.