Changes in land supply statements with the revised NPPF - Public forum - Planning Advisory Service (PAS)

This is a really intresting question, we are at reg 19 and have been told we cannot withdraw our Plan in order to remove Green Belt sites (some of which are v poorly drained flood plane and would have a potential significant detrimental effect on surrounding areas), so we need to look for other options other than withdrawing the Plan, removing and re-submitting. 

thank you

It could adversely affect Councils who previously projected higher delivery in year five than earlier years. This higher delivery further from the start date can overcome shortfalls in the earlier years, which can no longer be relied upon, making the test harder.

Have you seen this paragraph in the Jannuary 2024's Planning Newsletter?

"We’re also aware that there’s been some debate regarding the new Paragraph 226 of the National Planning Policy Framework which introduced a temporary measure that means some authorities only have to demonstrate four years of specific deliverable sites instead of the usual five. We will be updating the Planning Practice Guidance to provide clarity on this issue imminently".

Planning newsletter 30 January 2024 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Please note the national planning guidance on housing supply and delivery has been "updated to reflect recent updates" to the revised NPPF 2023.

Housing supply and delivery - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

See paragraph 055 which states:-

The criteria for housing land supply requirements for decision-making purposes are set out in paragraphs 76, 77 and 226 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Paragraph 76 sets out the criteria under which an authority is not required to annually demonstrate a housing land supply for decision making. If an authority does not meet the criteria in paragraph 76, paragraph 77 sets out the housing land supply of specific deliverable sites that authorities should demonstrate for decision-making against either their requirement figure or LHN as appropriate.

Paragraph 226 sets out criteria where, for a period of two years from the date of publication of the National Planning Policy Framework published on 19 December, an authority only needs, for the purposes of decision-making, to identify and update annually a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide a minimum of four years’ worth of housing (with a buffer, if applicable) against either its housing requirement figure or LHN as appropriate.

The glossary of the National Planning Policy Framework defines what can be counted as a deliverable site for these purposes - those that are available now, offer a suitable location for development now, and those that will be achievable with a realistic prospect that housing will be delivered on the site within five years. Both the 5 year housing land supply and the 4 year housing land supply that authorities should demonstrate for decision making should consist of deliverable housing sites demonstrated against the authority’s five year housing land supply requirement, including the appropriate buffer.

So we need to demonstrate 4/5 and not 4/4 by the look of the above.