HORSHAM DISTRICT COUNCIL LDF – CORE STRATEGY
PUBLIC EXAMINATION
Matter 8 – Meeting Housing Need (CP12)
Council Chamber, Park North, North Street, Horsham
at 10.00 hours on Monday 18 September 2006
1. Introduction.
General Note: Much of the voluminous appendices attached to statements could have been avoided if due heed had been taken of ¶19 of our Briefing Note, issued now 5 months ago, and ¶s18 and 24 of the Notes of the PEM. ¶s 21 and 23 are also highly relevant. This Hearing Session will not cover esoteric details which are not material to the overall strategy. Any outstanding issues should be discussed between the parties before the 18September and a short succinct note prepared of any remaining disagreements of substance. This should have been done at least 2½ months ago.
Mainly Tests of Soundness 4, 7 and 9
2. The evidence base necessary to support the district-wide baselines in this Core Strategy.
3. For the purposes of s38(vi) the development plan is the complete document between it’s covers. Is the CS unsound by delegating the division of the 40% target (25% social rented and 15% other) and commutation to the written justification?
4. Is there a need to stipulate in a core strategy a sub division on the tenure of affordable housing?
5. Would the CS be less sound or unsound by omitting the detail in this paragraph following CP8 and including it in a Supplementary Planning Document?
6. Why is there a need to define a 5 dwelling threshold for settlements below 3,000 population when all such settlements are Category 2 under CP5, i.e. all development needs to address specific local need? (Test vi). What evidence would justify market housing in such settlements, given the statutory need to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development?
7. The paragraph following CP8 “encourages” contributions to affordable housing from commercial and other schemes. Why is this unsound?
8. In the light of Annex 3 the Council’s Response Statement, why is it unsound for the CS to seek a contribution to affordable housing from retirement and sheltered housing schemes (including CCRC schemes)?
Any other points
Alan Foster
11/9/06