Published: Thursday, 10th October 2024
Sevenoaks District Council has set out its concerns about the Government’s revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) with new housing targets.
In July 2024, the new Government asked for views on its updated NPPF. It includes a revised housing target for the Sevenoaks District that jumped from 704 to 1,113 new homes to be built every year. This represents a 58% increase in new homes across the District.
In response, the Council has said it welcomes efforts to boost local housing supply to meet residents’ needs, including more social and affordable housing in future developments.
However, it also raised a number of concerns.
The Council argued the method for calculating the new increased housing target is flawed. The calculation is based on the affordability of homes and average local incomes. But it did not consider that many District residents work in London where wages are higher. Also the use of existing housing stock as the basis for the calculation, rather than household projections as currently used, means the targets do not take account of future trends.
While supporting the use of ‘Grey Belt’ sites (poor quality and already developed Green Belt land), the Council said these sites should only be developed in sustainable locations – near transport and local facilities. It was also important that councils get to decide which sites are in the Grey Belt and not developers.
Most importantly, the Council reiterated its long-standing stance on behalf of residents that the Green Belt is incredibly important and valued, and should only be built on in very limited circumstances.
The Council also raised concerns that there are no proposals in the revised NPPF to compel developers to build homes that have been granted planning permission.
Cllr Julia Thornton, Sevenoaks District Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Conservation, says: “While we remain committed to protecting the overwhelming majority of our Green Belt, we will have a duty to do everything possible to meet the Government’s new housing targets.
“We have highlighted what we believe to be serious issues with the Government’s revised NPPF and the proposed major uplift in new homes.
“The method of calculating the number of new homes does not take account of local needs. Building 1,113 new homes every year until 2040 will be especially challenging given our District is 93% Green Belt, the second highest in the country and 60% National Landscape (previously AONB).
“We have been urging Government for some time to give us the tools to encourage developers to build homes on sites with planning permission. In these instances, we have done our bit by granting planning permission in a timely manner, only for the developers to fail to get started.
“These tools could include charging Council Tax or Business Rates after a set period of time. We believe that building out these already granted schemes would make a big difference to the supply of new houses, both in our District and nationwide.”
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