Agenda item

Motion 418 submitted by Wayne Smith

 

Wokingham Borough Council understands and supports the need to provide homes, as it does the Government’s desire to speed up delivery.  That is why we are a proactive planning authority, seeking to shape future development through a carefully managed approach, which is enabling the delivery of sustainable, infrastructure rich new communities, including schools, new strategic roads, neighbourhood centres, sports hubs and improved public transport, in addition to 35% affordable housing.

 

Since 2006, over 8,200 new homes have been provided and outstanding planning permissions are in place to deliver a further 7,000 new homes.  In addition, current allocations will deliver a further 2,300 new homes. 

 

Looking at future delivery from now: our housing permissions, allocations and windfalls are capable of delivering 10,700 homes between 2019 and 2036 (equates to an average of 630pa).  This compares with the projected demographic growth of new households of 555pa calculated by the 2014-based ONS projections used by the standard method for calculating local housing need (despite more recent ONS figures in the 2016-based ONS projections demonstrating that this figure is an overestimate; the real growth is more likely to be around 486pa).

 

The standard method for calculating local housing need is designed to require more homes to be built above that required by demographic growth, which is flawed for Wokingham Borough.  Building more homes drives up house prices rather than lowering it because of the 20-30% premium on the cost of new homes. Developers will not build housing for sale at lower prices.  Also the focus on workplace earnings fails to recognise that residents travel out of the borough to high value, well paid jobs, and that flexible working with work registered out of the borough, where in reality work is undertaken locally, often at home.   The real and necessary response would be to allow us to focus on affordable housing and self-build products, both of which directly help our residents.

 

The Council supports the Executive to oppose any housing need calculation over and above the demographic growth by whatever means the Executive has at its disposal.

Minutes:

The Council considered the following Notice of Motion submitted by Wayne Smith and seconded by Gary Cowan.

 

Wokingham Borough Council understands and supports the need to provide homes, as it does the Government’s desire to speed up delivery.  That is why we are a proactive planning authority, seeking to shape future development through a carefully managed approach, which is enabling the delivery of sustainable, infrastructure rich new communities, including schools, new strategic roads, neighbourhood centres, sports hubs and improved public transport, in addition to 35% affordable housing.

 

Since 2006, over 8,200 new homes have been provided and outstanding planning permissions are in place to deliver a further 7,000 new homes.  In addition, current allocations will deliver a further 2,300 new homes. 

 

Looking at future delivery from now: our housing permissions, allocations and windfalls are capable of delivering 10,700 homes between 2019 and 2036 (equates to an average of 630pa).  This compares with the projected demographic growth of new households of 555pa calculated by the 2014-based ONS projections used by the standard method for calculating local housing need (despite more recent ONS figures in the 2016-based ONS projections demonstrating that this figure is an overestimate; the real growth is more likely to be around 486pa).

 

The standard method for calculating local housing need is designed to require more homes to be built above that required by demographic growth, which is flawed for Wokingham Borough.  Building more homes drives up house prices rather than lowering it because of the 20-30% premium on the cost of new homes. Developers will not build housing for sale at lower prices.  Also the focus on workplace earnings fails to recognise that residents travel out of the borough to high value, well paid jobs, and that flexible working with work registered out of the Borough, where in reality work is undertaken locally, often at home.   The real and necessary response would be to allow us to focus on affordable housing and self-build products, both of which directly help our residents.

 

The Council supports the Executive to oppose any housing need calculation over and above the demographic growth by whatever means the Executive has at its disposal.’

 

Wayne Smith commented that the Council was committed to taking its fair share of housing.  The Council was currently targeted to build 840 homes a year, Reading 631, Bracknell, 615 and West Berkshire 520.  The Motion was about getting the right housing numbers for the Borough.

 

Gary Cowan referred to the challenging housing number and pressure on infrastructure.

 

It was moved by Ian Pittock and seconded by Clive Jones that the Motion be amended as follows:

 

‘Wokingham Borough Council understands and supports the need to provide homes, as it does the Government’s desire to speed up delivery.  That is why we are a proactive planning authority, seeking to shape future development through a carefully managed approach, which is enabling the delivery of sustainable, infrastructure rich new communities, including schools, new strategic roads, neighbourhood centres, sports hubs and improved public transport, in addition to 35% affordable housing.

 

Since 2006, over 8,200 new homes have been provided and outstanding planning permissions are in place to deliver a further 7,000 new homes.  In addition, current allocations will deliver a further 2,300 new homes. 

 

Looking at future delivery from now: our housing permissions, allocations and windfalls are capable of delivering 10,700 homes between 2019 and 2036 (equates to an average of 630pa).  This compares with the projected demographic growth of new households of 555pa calculated by the 2014-based ONS projections used by the standard method for calculating local housing need (despite more recent ONS figures in the 2016-based ONS projections demonstrating that this figure is an overestimate; the real growth is more likely to be around 486pa).

 

The standard method for calculating local housing need is designed to require more homes to be built above that required by demographic growth, which is flawed for Wokingham Borough.  Building more homes drives up house prices rather than lowering it because of the 20-30% premium on the cost of new homes. Developers will not build housing for sale at lower prices.  Also the focus on workplace earnings fails to recognise that residents travel out of the borough to high value, well paid jobs, and that flexible working with work registered out of the borough, where in reality work is undertaken locally, often at home.   The real and necessary response would be to allow us to focus on affordable housing and self-build products, both of which directly help our residents.

 

The Council supports the Executive to oppose any housing need calculation over and above the demographic growth by whatever means the Executive has at its disposal and agrees to ensure that what is actually built meets the needs of existing residents.’

 

Ian Pittock emphasised that it was vital that the Council as a whole and not just the Executive, acted.

 

The amendment to the Motion was accepted by the proposer of the original Motion and therefore became the substantive Motion.

 

A number of Members indicated that they supported efforts to reduce the Council’s housing numbers.

 

Carl Doran commented that there was a lack of suitable infrastructure and that the 35% affordable housing target had not been met in many cases.  He did not support undertaking a housing consultation as he felt that the answer was already known.

 

Andy Croy suggested that the Council not support a third runway for Heathrow Airport.

 

Stephen Conway stated that there was a need for more housing, particularly affordable housing but the scale requested by the Government was unsustainable.  The green belt should be safe from housing.

 

Gary Cowan and John Kaiser emphasised that development was to meet the needs of prospective and new residents rather than existing residents.

 

Charlotte Haitham Taylor referred to the scale of development in Shinfield.  Whilst she supported new housing, especially affordable housing, not at the current housing numbers.

 

Lindsay Ferris emphasised that the Council could not continue to accommodate the current housing numbers.  It was time for the Council to fight before it was too late and he supported a cross-party consultation.

 

Charles Margetts referred to several applications in his ward that had been refused and had gone to appeal, which the Council had then won.  The cost of these appeals had been high.

 

Clive Jones stated that there was a shortage of the right types of homes and that there needed to be more 1 and 2 bedroom properties.

 

It was moved by Wayne Smith and seconded by Pauline Jorgensen that the Motion be amended as follows:

 

‘Wokingham Borough Council understands and supports the need to provide homes, as it does the Government’s desire to speed up delivery.  That is why we are a proactive planning authority, seeking to shape future development through a carefully managed approach, which is enabling the delivery of sustainable, infrastructure rich new communities, including schools, new strategic roads, neighbourhood centres, sports hubs and improved public transport, in addition to 35% affordable housing.

 

Since 2006, over 8,200 new homes have been provided and outstanding planning permissions are in place to deliver a further 7,000 new homes.  In addition, current allocations will deliver a further 2,300 new homes. 

 

Looking at future delivery from now: our housing permissions, allocations and windfalls are capable of delivering 10,700 homes between 2019 and 2036 (equates to an average of 630pa).  This compares with the projected demographic growth of new households of 555pa calculated by the 2014-based ONS projections used by the standard method for calculating local housing need (despite more recent ONS figures in the 2016-based ONS projections demonstrating that this figure is an overestimate; the real growth is more likely to be around 486pa).

 

The standard method for calculating local housing need is designed to require more homes to be built above that required by demographic growth, which is flawed for Wokingham Borough.  Building more homes drives up house prices rather than lowering it because of the 20-30% premium on the cost of new homes. Developers will not build housing for sale at lower prices.  Also the focus on workplace earnings fails to recognise that residents travel out of the borough to high value, well paid jobs, and that flexible working with work registered out of the borough, where in reality work is undertaken locally, often at home.   The real and necessary response would be to allow us to focus on affordable housing and self-build products, both of which directly help our residents.

 

The Council oppose any housing need calculation over and above the demographic growth by whatever means the Executive has at its disposal and agrees to ensure that what is actually built meets the needs of existing residents.’

 

The amendment to the Motion was accepted by the proposer of the original Motion and therefore became the substantive Motion.

 

Upon being put to the vote, the amended (substantive) Motion was declared by the Mayor to be carried.

 

RESOLVED:  That Wokingham Borough Council understands and supports the need to provide homes, as it does the Government’s desire to speed up delivery.  That is why we are a proactive planning authority, seeking to shape future development through a carefully managed approach, which is enabling the delivery of sustainable, infrastructure rich new communities, including schools, new strategic roads, neighbourhood centres, sports hubs and improved public transport, in addition to 35% affordable housing.

 

Since 2006, over 8,200 new homes have been provided and outstanding planning permissions are in place to deliver a further 7,000 new homes.  In addition, current allocations will deliver a further 2,300 new homes. 

 

Looking at future delivery from now: our housing permissions, allocations and windfalls are capable of delivering 10,700 homes between 2019 and 2036 (equates to an average of 630pa).  This compares with the projected demographic growth of new households of 555pa calculated by the 2014-based ONS projections used by the standard method for calculating local housing need (despite more recent ONS figures in the 2016-based ONS projections demonstrating that this figure is an overestimate; the real growth is more likely to be around 486pa).

 

The standard method for calculating local housing need is designed to require more homes to be built above that required by demographic growth, which is flawed for Wokingham Borough.  Building more homes drives up house prices rather than lowering it because of the 20-30% premium on the cost of new homes. Developers will not build housing for sale at lower prices.  Also the focus on workplace earnings fails to recognise that residents travel out of the borough to high value, well paid jobs, and that flexible working with work registered out of the borough, where in reality work is undertaken locally, often at home.   The real and necessary response would be to allow us to focus on affordable housing and self-build products, both of which directly help our residents.

 

The Council oppose any housing need calculation over and above the demographic growth by whatever means the Executive has at its disposal and agrees to ensure that what is actually built meets the needs of residents.