New data published by Pegasus Group has revealed that almost two-thirds of local planning authorities (LPAs) outside London are likely to find their most important development policies out-of-date when updating housing land supply assessments in line with the Government’s revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
The findings suggest that 65% of LPAs are unlikely to be able to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, rising to 66% when including those with a record of substantial under-delivery. According to the analysis, this will engage the presumption in favour of sustainable development in two-thirds of authorities – a major shift in the national planning landscape.
The shortfall is most acute in the West Midlands (83%), the South East (81%), and the South West (74%), where the revised methodology for assessing housing need and the introduction of a buffer requirement under the updated NPPF are particularly impactful.
Only around 40% of LPAs outside of London have so far updated their housing land supply assessments to reflect the new policy framework. The revised NPPF retains the presumption in favour of sustainable development where policies are deemed out-of-date but changes how housing need and supply sufficiency are assessed – a move that Pegasus Group says leaves the majority of local authorities exposed.
Neil Tiley, senior director of economics at Pegasus Group, said: “Our analysis paints a pretty bleak picture as it underlines the extent to which minimum local housing needs are not being planned for or delivered nationally, and the challenge that the country faces in responding to the deepening housing crisis.”
He added: “To support the national growth agenda and meet the housing needs of communities which have not been addressed for decades, there is a desperate need to bring forward more housing, as supported by the recent changes to national policy. Notwithstanding this it will be very challenging to release a sufficient supply of housing to fully address housing needs. In order to do so, new development plans will need to be prepared and adopted to fully meet housing needs, but in the interim housing will need to be approved notwithstanding a conflict with existing out-of-date development plans.”
