Agenda item

The Panel received a report which provided an update in relation to the Council’s emerging New Local Plan. The report was introduced by Bryce Tudball, Interim Head of Planning Policy, Transport and Infrastructure as set out in the agenda pack at pages 21 to 26. The Cabinet Member for Housing Services, Private Renters and Planning was also present for this item.  The following arose during the discussion of this report:

a.    The Panel queried when more details of the policies within the Local Plan would be available. The Panel also questioned how the Council could ensure that the Local Plan was fit for purpose in light of the long-lead in time needed to develop such a detailed document and in light of changing political priorities. In response, the Cabinet Member advised that there would need to be some updates to the documents before it went out to consultation but that these would likely only cover the last two years, rather than the entire length of the process since it started.

b.    Officers advised that a London Plan member working group had been established for the purpose of engagement and that there were a number of other forums for engagement before the Local Plan went to Cabinet, such as the Strategic Planning Committee. Officers advised that they were happy to bring more details on specific policies with the plan to the Panel in future. Officers also advised that they were working hard ensure that there was a very tight evidence base for its sustainability policy, for example, in order to ensure that it was future proofed and that it met the trajectory for where we may be in a few years’ time.

c.    The Panel questioned the extent to which the economic development and regeneration team had been involved in the development of the London Plan. In response, officers advised that they worked very closely with them and had commissioned the evidence base in conjunction with the regen team.

d.    In response to a question, officers advised that they were working with colleagues to develop an employment & skills policy to provide training needs and to repurpose Section 106 monies towards this area.  

e.    The Panel questioned what was being done to support key workers, particularly in terms affordable housing. In response, officers advised that they had commissioned evidence about the types of housing needs in the borough, including for key workers, as part of the Local Plan development process.

f.     The Panel sought clarification about how the Council would develop quality affordable housing and the suitability of intermediate tenures, like shared ownership within this. Officers set out that the housing target for Haringey set out within the London Plan was 1592. A key piece of work within the plan was strategic housing market assessment, which determined the extent of affordable housing required. The Council would be looking to push the boundaries to deliver as much affordable housing as possible and that the Council would be looking for that to be the right type of affordable housing, the priority was for housing at social rents.

g.    In relation to a follow up, officers advised that the London Plan required Haringey to deliver an element of intermediate affordable housing as part of the overall mix, which was currently set at 30%. The Council would publish a policy position on what types of intermediate tenure housing it was looking for, going forwards. It was noted that shared ownership was not the only form of intermediate housing. Whilst the Council had set out its desire to develop new affordable units for social rent, there was an evidence base that pointed to the fact that the borough needed all types of housing, including some intermediate affordable housing.

RESOLVED

That the report was noted.