People local plan

Helping people in the greatest need and creating balanced, resilient, and healthy communities who feel safe and supported with easy access to services.

Housing

Housing is a basic human right and a key priority for the government. It is important that we ensure that the right number and type of houses are delivered across the Plan Area. The Local Plan will need to set out the number of new homes to be provided and the distribution of these based on the spatial strategy for the distribution of development. Additionally, the size, type, and tenure of housing needed for different groups will need to be identified, including the proportion of the overall housing requirement that should be affordable.

Why does it matter?

There is a significant need for new homes across the Plan Area. The NPPF requires local authorities to prepare local plans that meet the housing needs of their areas wherever possible. Currently supply is not meeting demand, and developers nationally have not been building houses where they are needed. There is also a need to take account of any development needs that cannot be met within neighbouring areas.

Our review therefore needs to make sure it provides for a supply of homes in an appropriate way to address the changing needs of our communities.

What are the issues?

a)   Knowing how much housing to plan for

To fulfil the government's priority of boosting the supply and delivery of housing, the NPPF 2024 requires local authorities to calculate the housing need for their area using a standard method which sets our housing need as 1,501 dwellings per annum. This is a near three-fold increase above our existing housing target and far above levels previously delivered in both the Plan Area and the National Park.

The housing need figure established by the standard method is the first step in the process of deciding how many homes should or can be planned for in as part of our review. It is undertaken separately from assessing whether sufficient land is suitable, available, and achievable. The extent of any unmet development needs in neighbouring areas which we need to consider has yet to be confirmed.

Our Plan Area is significantly affected by major physical and environmental designations and constraints. Approximately 57% of the Plan Area (i.e. outside of the National Park), is affected by constraints the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) lists in 'footnote 7' as providing a strong reason for restricting the overall scale, type, or distribution of development in the Plan Area. These constraints include nature conservation designations - of both international and national importance, Green Belt, areas at risk of flooding or erosion, and National Landscapes (formerly known as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty). All these constraints and others will need to be considered when assessing sites for development and establishing the proposed housing requirement.

Neighbourhood planning groups can prepare neighbourhood plans and also determine sites to be allocated for development. The NPPF requires that strategic policies should set out the housing requirement for designated neighbourhood areas which reflects the overall strategy for the pattern and scale of development and any relevant allocations.

b)   Housing mix and affordable housing

The Council currently has approximately 2,100 households on its Housing Register waiting for affordable housing. Of these, most of the need is for 1 or 2 bedroom properties. Approximately 1,100 of the households on the Housing Register are in bands 1 & 2 of priority need (the highest priority needs).

We must consider how to plan for the needs of our population and the balance between letting the market find suitable sites within existing urban areas and the general policy framework of the Plan or through making more specific policy provision, perhaps through site specific requirements on land to be allocated for development. Notable demographic trends for our area include a decrease in total population and an ageing population with a decline in working age and school age cohorts. Whilst it is important not to simply seek to carry forward past trends, it is important to note that where there are demands for certain types of housing (for example, housing for older people), this is also likely to generate a requirement for housing for younger people nearby to help service this specialised housing.

We also need to consider that a range of housing should be provided across the Plan Area to cater for all demographics.

c)   Housing densities

As part of preparing a new Local Plan the density of sites will need to be considered. The NPPF makes it clear that site densities should be optimised (albeit not necessarily maximising) to promote the most efficient use of land. It is therefore important that as part of the plan we understand the character of a place should not seek to preserve things in a static way but should ensure an appropriate balance is struck between existing fabric and any proposed change. Opportunities for change and transformation, through new building forms, densities, and typologies, should be informed by an understanding of a place's distinctive character and landscape.

d)   Second home ownership

'A 'second home' is defined as a privately-owned habitable accommodation that is not occupied by anyone as their main residence. It may be occupied occasionally, for example, as a holiday home or when working away from the household's main home. The 2021 Census has indicated that there are around 2,000 second homes in the New Forest District.

Whilst neither the NPPF nor Planning Practice Guidance make any direct reference to the ability for local plans to restrict second home ownership, it has been shown that second homes can have a positive economic effect on a wider area. They can also simultaneously cause damage to the community cohesion and social fabric of settlements and harm the viability of key local services such as schools.

e)   Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople

Historically, Gypsy, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople communities have some links to the New Forest area, and the communities make up a small, but higher-than-average, proportion of the local population. National policy is set out to ensure fair and equal treatment for Gypsy, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople in a way that facilitates the traditional and nomadic way of life, while respecting the interests of the settled community.

All local planning authorities are expected to make their own assessment of need and to develop fair and effective strategies to meet need, including ensuring there are sufficient authorised plots and pitches. There are currently 10 established sites within the Plan Area. Our new Plan should include fair, realistic and inclusive policy measures that have due regard to the protection of local amenity and local environment.

Consultation questions:

10.  Do you have any comments on our housing need and how it can be met?

11.  Are there any specific sites not currently allocated in existing Local Plans or otherwise permitted for development that should be considered for their development potential?

12.  What role can town and parish councils have in addressing the development needs of the area, such as through preparing neighbourhood plans?

13.  Should we consider a policy to restrict second home ownership within the area?

14.  Are there any specific forms of affordable housing that we should aim to prioritise to provide for those most in need locally?

15.  How should we aim to meet the housing needs of our population and the current population trends?

16.  Do you have any comments on the range of densities that should be sought on new development sites?

17.  How should we aim to meet the identified accommodation need of the Gypsy, Traveller, and Travelling Showpeople community?

Infrastructure

Infrastructure can be categorised into 3 broad types:

• Physical (necessary to connect homes and workplaces to the wider environment such as transport, waste and utilities to meet the day- to-day needs)
• Green (to maximise ecosystem services that support wild and human life, including blue infrastructure)
• Social (to ensure that the communities can function effectively and covers a wide range of assets such as affordable housing, education, healthcare, sports facilities, and libraries).

Why does it matter?

The provision of relevant infrastructure is key in delivering sustainable communities that function effectively. It is also critical that this infrastructure is delivered alongside development in a timely manner for the benefit of existing and new residents.

What are the issues?

a)   The Council's role

Most infrastructure is provided by organisations other than the Council. It can be provided by private companies (for example, electricity or sewage) or the public sector (for example, health, transport, and education). The Council's responsibility is to ensure that new development is located and designed to minimise its demand on existing infrastructure and to work with those other organisations to ensure that any additional impacts arising because of development can be effectively mitigated through delivery of new or expanded, high quality infrastructure.

We will need to consider the cumulative impacts of development and identify the key infrastructure required to deliver the strategy such as new strategic transport schemes, utility networks, green infrastructure and community facilities including schools. These considerations will be informed by a refresh of the infrastructure evidence base, including an updated assessment of potential transport demands generated from new development to ensure that all forms of movement infrastructure are identified and planned for.

b)   Digital infrastructure

There is a need to improve access to digital connectivity in rural areas by, for example, securing efficient full fibre broadband provision for all our community. Full fibre ensures that speeds can increase to keep up with demand which will continue to grow at even faster rates as more devices and services become connected and richer data needs to be transmitted.

c)   Utilities

Much of the physical infrastructure required to provide services to new development is provided by private utility companies. These companies often have a statutory duty set out in legislation to provide a connection to new development. There are concerns locally about the adequacy of existing wastewater treatment and conveyance and water supply (particularly in relation to flooding incidents affecting supply infrastructure). We are also aware of the need to provide additional electricity supply capacity to meet the needs for growth through a significant substation upgrade in the Totton area.

d)   Social infrastructure

The Council is responsible for setting out the requirements at plan-making stage for social and community needs, including schools, access to nature, doctors' surgeries and community buildings. Requirements will be identified through consultation with various key infrastructure providers holding responsibility in this area including the National Health Service and Hampshire County Council.

Larger developments have the capacity to deliver infrastructure on-site. Smaller developments may not be able to deliver a school, for example, but do contribute to a cumulative need for additional facilities (either through a S106 agreementor the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). The Council can seek funding from individual developments and collects the Community Infrastructure Levy to provide for cumulative needs.

e)   The role of art and culture

Arts and culture play an integral and valuable role in making prosperous, healthy, and attractive places. By bringing people together, arts and culture provide a sense of vitality in our local areas; on our high streets, our town centres and in regeneration areas; contributing much to the current and future health and growth of where we live, work and play.

Cultural planning supports place making through considering what types of arts and cultural infrastructure can be secured through redevelopment and the planning process. We are currently preparing a cultural strategy for the district, which will sit alongside our plan, and we will need to consider options for the creation of tangible creative ways for local communities to participate in both art and cultural activities.

Consultation questions:

18.  What are the key infrastructure priorities that need to be delivered and how can they best be delivered?

19.  What do you think are the key considerations for increased electricity generation from renewable sources in the New Forest (outside the national park), such as onshore wind or solar power?

20.  Do you have any suggestions for incorporating art and culture into our Local Plan?

Health and wellbeing

The environment in which we live is a major determinant of human health and wellbeing.

Why does it matter?

The current planning system originated from focusing on basic human living conditions. Today, the health and wellbeing agenda is much broader, with determinants considered to influence health and wellbeing encompassing the physical, social, and economic environments.

Health and wellbeing should not be seen as an isolated topic and should be an important thread throughout the whole Plan.

What are the issues?

Planning for health involves thinking about the interrelated factors that affect health, including social and psychological elements, such as wellbeing. The wider determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live and age. A healthy place is one that can contribute to the prevention of ill health and provide the environmental conditions to support positive health and wellbeing.

As well as incorporating the design principles for active street layouts and public realm, which can also include enhancing our green spaces to improve physical and mental health, the Local Plan is likely going to need to consider ways to making it easier for people to make healthier choices, reducing social isolation and loneliness and reducing health and sustainability impacts (for example, impacts to air quality).

Consultation questions:

21: Do you agree with the description of issues regarding health and wellbeing, and are there other issues to consider?

22: What options do you think should be followed for addressing health and wellbeing?