Agenda item

To update the Panel on progress towards the development of the new Haringey Local Plan.

Rob Krzyszowski, Head of Planning Policy, Transport & Infrastructure, introduced the report on the Local Plan, which he explained is the main document used to determine planning applications across the Borough, to set out a positive vision and spatial framework for development and to translate the Council’s wider corporate priorities into a spatial plan. The existing Local Plan was adopted in 2017 which is made up of a number of documents: the Strategic Policies, the Development Management Policies, Site Allocations and the Tottenham Area Action Plan.

He said that there is a legal requirement to review the Local Plan at least every five years and circumstances have changed since 2017, including a new administration at the Council, and changes to the market. A new Local Plan will therefore be developed which has to be based within national planning policy and guidance and then be considered by a national inspector. It will also need to be consistent with the London Plan, a new version of which is currently in development, and will also need to reflect what is important to Haringey in terms of key planning policies and the priorities of the Borough Plan using a clear and robust evidence base. The timescales, set out on page 19 of the agenda pack, includes a consultation with residents and, while things are currently running a bit behind this timetable, it was still anticipated that the overall timescales would be met. A Member Working Group would be set up to provide a ‘sounding board’ for developments on the new Local Plan and this had been discussed at Regulatory Committee on 2^nd March 2020.

In response to a query from Cllr Bob Hare about the possible implications of Crossrail 2 on the Local Plan, Rob Krzyszowski said that TfL has powers to safeguard land. As there are two options for Crossrail 2 routes in Haringey, the Council would seek clarity on which sites would stay safeguarded. However, no announcement on this is expected soon and so the approach to this will need to be refined over time.

Responding to a question from Cllr Gordon about the housing target, Rob Krzyszowski said that the housing target is set in the London Plan, the new version of which is expected to set a target of 1,592 new homes per year in Haringey. The Secretary of State is expected to give a response to the London Plan in the next few weeks. In the last financial year 644 new homes had been completed in Haringey in 2018/19, which was short of the existing target of 1,500. The Council would be aiming to achieve sufficient planning permissions and site allocations to meet the target going forward. Asked about high-density buildings, he said that tall buildings would not be needed in all areas but would be required in some areas and so that is part of the discussion on the Local Plan.

Asked by Cllr Hare about balancing housing and employment needs, Rob Krzyszowski said that this is a massive challenge for any Local Plan to balance the competing priorities for land uses. However, there is emerging policy on things like industrial intensification (involving multi-storey industrial space) and co-location (which would allow for residential properties to be adjacent to industrial land with appropriate environmental controls in place). Conservation areas and other constraints are also mapped across the Borough.

In response to a question from Cllr Barnes about the community and consultation plans around new developments, Rob Krzyszowski said that the first steps consultation would be asking open questions before the plan had been drafted and that he would be happy to expand the consultation to other settings such as supermarkets as the communications and engagement plan was being developed.