The Panel acknowledges this as the single most controversial issue in the Plan and that the Assembly has had a challenging task in balancing all the different factors. However, it concludes that too much weight was given to the views of existing residents (ie the consultation results) and not enough to demographic and economic factors. As a result, the Panel recommends an increase in the overall levels of housing from 28,900 to 32,000 per annum (640,160 over the Plan period), an increase of 10% or in absolute terms - 62,000 new homes over the Plan period (2006-2026). Although the Panel recognises that this is still below the Government’s latest demographic information and recent completions in the region, it has not gone any higher because of the strength of the Assembly’s arguments and much of its background work.
On the distribution of housing provision, the Panel acknowledges that district by district figures will change over time as Local Development Frameworks are progressed and more detailed information is available on, for example, urban potential. Given their concerns about the Plan not fully taking into account economic factors, the Panel has tried to redress this by focusing most of the additional housing provision on the London Fringe, Central Oxfordshire and Western Corridor / Blackwater Valley to ensure that economic potential is not restricted.
The Panel makes it clear that just as important as getting the right numbers is getting the right type and size, particularly affordable housing. It therefore recommends that the housing policies dealing with this are strengthened. The Panel agrees with the Assembly that it is not simply a case of building our way out of the affordability crisis and encourage the Assembly to work closely with GOSE to influence funding of affordable housing.
Spatial Strategy
The Panel endorses the need for a bold strategy that will endure for many years and not require an early review. It therefore supports the Plans’ ‘sharper focus’ concept and the proposed sub-regions, which remain unchanged in terms of their geographical basis. However, it recommend strengthening the strategy by making it more location specific and giving a stronger profile to areas south west of London, the Thames Valley and the Oxford area, reflecting their economic importance. Six Strategic Development Areas (SDAs) are proposed, each with 4-5,000 dwellings or more. These are at Fareham, north / north east of Hedge End (both are existing SDAs identified in the Plan) south west Milton Keynes, south east Milton Keynes (both are an endorsement of the MK2031 work), south Oxford and south Reading (these are the only two new SDAs identified).
Employment Land
The Panel recommends an early partial review of the Plan to provide a clearer framework for economic development and employment land, once the employment land reviews currently underway, have been completed.
Infrastructure
The Panel agrees with the Assembly’s ‘manage and invest’ approach and recommends strengthening parts of this. It applauds the Assembly’s ‘pioneering work’ on infrastructure. They feel that the Implementation Plan should be considered as a ‘living document’ rather than formally adopted as part of the RSS as this allows flexibility to keep it updated as local planning progresses. The RSS should be a firm basis for planning; hence the Panel recommends that housing figures should be treated as targets, to allow some certainty in terms of infrastructure investment.
However, it does not agree that housing levels can be made contingent upon delivery of particular pieces of infrastructure as this would be unhelpful to investment.
Environmental Uncertainties
The Panel acknowledges the changing requirements of the Habitats Directive and has therefore exercised some judgement on the effects of growth levels. In the Thames Basin Heaths, they have recommended an increase in the housing provision within the 5km radius, mainly within the London Fringe, which is to be provided later in the Plan period. If the Government accepts this, further SA/SEA and Appropriate Assessment work will be required before consultation on the proposed changes to the Plan.
