Housing Supply In Wiltshire

Wiltshire Council have conceded through a Statement of Common Ground that they have between 4.42 and 4.62 years worth of housing supply. This equates to a shortfall between 1,234 to 809 dwellings.

This presents a significant opportunity for sites to be revisited as a means of helping the Council meet its housing requirements.

McLoughlin Planning has been heavily involved in monitoring the Housing Land Supply situation closely in Wiltshire, with a particular emphasis on the north and the west housing market area.

Over the past couple of years, the Council has successfully defended a number of Planning Appeals brought about by alleged deficiencies in 5-Year Housing Land Supply.

However, at a recent Appeal at Purton Road by Beechcroft Land, it became clear during the course of the Inquiry that the Council conceded, through a Statement of Common Ground with the Appellant, that it was unable to demonstrate a 5-Year Housing Land Supply when the requirement was compared against the provisions of the Standard Method.

The Statement of Common Ground stated that the Council had between 4.42 and 4.62 years’ worth of supply. This equated to a shortfall between 1,234 to 809 dwellings.

This is a significant concession in the Council’s Housing Land Supply position as it readily affirms that the presumption in favour of sustainable development under paragraph 14d of the NPPF can be engaged. This point was readily acknowledged in the Council’s closing submissions.

The implication of the above is significant. This is the first time McLoughlin Planning have seen a Local Plan challenged on the basis of being out of date when compared against the housing requirements of the Standard Method.

Furthermore, the admission that it does not have a 5-Year Housing Land Supply and that paragraph 14d of the Framework is engaged, presents a significant opportunity for sites to be revisited as a means of helping the Council meet its housing requirements.

Whilst the outcome of the Appeal is far from certain, the implications of this concession by the Council are nothing but significant for those with development interests in the County.