Leader of Teignbridge writes to Boris Johnson

The new PM started the job yesterday.

The letter calls for the housing needs figures for the district to be revised, as the council’s Local Plan is now five years old.

The current Local Plan target, which the council has met, is for 620 new homes a year to be built. But as the Local Plan is now five years old, the method of calculating housing need changes and the number of new homes that must be built is stipulated by central government using the ‘Standard Method’ for calculating housing need.

As a result, the number of new homes that must be built a year in Teignbridge will rise from 620 to 777 – and the council is obliged to meet that figure irrespective of whether they agree with the number.

The letter to Mr Johnson from Cllr Hook states: “The situation here in Teignbridge is critical. The formula being used to calculate housing need is clearly badly flawed and requires urgent reconsideration. While it is recognised that genuine low-cost housing is desperately needed, the sheer volume of housing being imposed on us is without justification. Your early intervention in this hugely important issue would be very much appreciated.”

Cllr Hook said that while he received an acknowledgement from the initial letter sent to Mrs May, he did not receive answers to the questions raised, and added: “It would be greatly appreciated by the residents of Teignbridge if you could produce what Mrs May failed to do.”

The letter states: “The Government is now imposing a new, much higher, housing figure on us, based on a simplistic, single, nationally defined formula. This new formula demands that almost 25 per cent more houses are built each year in our largely rural district.

“Not only that, they have introduced a new law which means that our current local plan housing target is automatically out of date after just five years. Consequently, we are required to use the new, nationally imposed housing target without going through a plan- led, democratic process which gives our communities a say and ultimately legitimacy.”

In his letter, Cllr Hook said: “We continue to exceed our housing completion targets, achieving 697 completions in 2017/18 against an annual minimum target of 620.  Housing delivery remains strong, and the plan area benefits from an 8.28 years supply of land for new homes.”

It comes as a report to next Tuesday’s Teignbridge District Council executive meeting outlines the position of the Local Plan.

The report says the new approach, known as the standard method, currently results in an annual housing need calculation of 760 homes per year, an increase of 23 per cent above the local plan target of 620.

Simon Thornley, Business Manager, Strategic Place’s report adds: “The Local Plan has a housing target of 620 homes per year, and currently we can show a housing supply in excess of five years against this target. Therefore, our decisions on planning applications have been able to apply full weight to our local plan policies.

“However, as the Local Plan is considered to require updating as a result of the five year review, then the target to be used will be the government’s standard method calculation, which is currently 760 homes per year. At present we also can identify a five year supply against this higher target. However, clearly the supply in terms of years is reduced.”

His report says that with the 620 homes a year target, the council has an 8.7 year housing land supply, but only a 6.82 year land supply with the new 760 homes a year target.

It adds that 4,060 of the 12,400 homes set to be built by 2033 have already been completed. With the 620 a year target, 2,980 homes would have to be built by 2024, but with the new 760 target, that has risen to 3,800.

However, Mr Thornley’s report says: “To date 5,370 dwellings (total numbers not just within the next 5 years) within allocated sites have now secured planning permission (including pending Section 106) and further planning applications have been submitted for several allocated areas. Interests in other allocation areas have been acquired by developers and are currently in pre-application negotiation.

“Based on the delivery trajectory for allocations, as updated to reflect developer discussions, allocated areas will contribute 4,199 dwellings to the land supply in the period April 2019 to March 2024.”

Teignbridge’s Executive, when they meet on Tuesday, July 30, are asked to note and confirm the conclusions of the report.