9 MAY 2007 An independent Panel appointed by the
Government to look at housing growth rate has listened to Harrogate
Borough Council and not developers when it comes to the number of
new houses which can be built over the next 15 years.
Subject to the final approval of the Panel's recommendations
by the Government later this year, the proposed figure will fall
below 400, well short of the 800 that some developers wanted.
This news has been welcomed by Harrogate Borough Council's
planners and will support the council's aim to minimise the need to
develop greenfield land and to preserve the beauty of open spaces
and green belt around the urban areas.
Councillor Don Mackenzie, Cabinet Member for Planning,
said: "Under Government rules, the Yorkshire and
Humber Plan dictates the level of future housing growth in each of
the region's 21 local authority areas. The draft
plan proposed that this district should provide an average of
slightly less than 400 houses per year but a number of
organisations including house builders and the Government Office
for the Region
called for a much higher rate of growth".
Harrogate Borough Council stated its case for lower housing
growth at a public examination, held in September and October last
year at which all parties were able to make their case.
"Quite frankly, our district couldn't cope with any
higher figure, added Councillor
Mackenzie. " Our infrastructure roads and
transport, education, healthcare - is already at capacity, so
we are delighted that the Panel has listened to
sense. The average figure we were to provide for
the past four years stood at 450 new houses each year, so this new
recommended growth rate will reduce the pressure to build even
further. I can report that, last year, this
figure was down to around 280 compared to the highest rate of house
building in 2001 of 930. I believe that this shows that our
planning policies are working. The Panel also
took the reasonable view that it would be better to encourage more
investment in jobs in this district than more housing, so as to
help reduce the high level of commuting into
Leeds." NEDS
FURTHER INFORMATION: Councillor Don
Mackenzie is available for comment on 01423
872211. Further technical information is
available from Dave Allenby, Chief Planner on 01423
556576. Note for editors ...
Note for editors:
The Draft Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) or 'Yorkshire
and Humber Plan' was produced by the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly
and submitted to the Government in December 2005. The
findings and recommendations set out in the Panel report will be
considered by the Government Office for Yorkshire and Humber
(acting on behalf of the Secretary of State) who will put forward
proposed policy changes to the Submission Draft RSS for
consultation over the summer. The Panel Report itself will not be
subject to public consultation but is intended as guidance to the
Secretary of State in making any necessary changes (the Panel's
recommendations are not binding on the Secretary of
State).
All District Councils are required to
prepare Local Development Frameworks (LDFs) that are in
'conformity' with the Regional Spatial Strategy for the area. In
Harrogate, work to prepare a 'Core Strategy' , which is a key
component of the LDF, is well advanced and is due to be submitted
to Government in September 2007. This will show in broad terms how
the District's housing requirement set out in the RSS will be
accommodated. Another document, also currently in preparation, will
identify specific parcels of land to be brought forward for
development. These documents have already been subject to extensive
public consultation and further opportunities for public
involvement are proposed. Details of the
council's work to prepare the LDF are available on the council
web-site.