Issue - meetings

The Principal Planning Policy Officer presented the report to the Committee.

The Monitoring Report 2023/24 covered 1^st April 2023 to 31^st March 2024, and was attached at Appendix 1.  This was the fourth Monitoring Report completed and included performance the classifications of ‘Target Met’ and ‘Target Exceeded’ to reflect the progress made.

The preparation of the Shirebrook and Creswell Growth Plans was taking longer than envisaged due to greater public engagement and involvement – they were now classified as ongoing behind target.

Housing permissions had increased steadily, peaking in 2022/23.  Although the number of permissions had fallen in 2023/24, the total of 194 permissions aligned with the yearly average of 191 permissions during the life of the plan.

Housing completions continued to surpass the Local Plan Target of 272 units per annum, standing at 359 for 2023/24.

Employment permissions had seenthe lowest number of employment permissions granted since 2020 – a 31% drop on 2022/23.  The hectarage covered by new employment permissions indicated a reduction of over 50%.

The number of completions across the 23 allocated housing sites had not met the predicted numbers since 2020.  For 2023/24, the number of completions was 25% lower than 2022/23.  However, in 2023/24 the rate of delivery across 3 of the sites remained ahead of both their forecast for the year and their overall trajectory.

The Principal Planning Policy Officer informed the Committee on the Bolsover North and Clowne Garden Village sites.  It was noted all projects were performing as intended.

Some areas, such as customer self-build plots, did not have data available but would be reviewed.

Following the meeting, the Authority Monitoring Report would be published on the Council’s website.

A Member stated that while the of number of completions with regards construction were not quite delivering, the Council remained in a strong position with spare capacity.

To a question on the supply and demand of properties in the District with regards the number of completions, a Principal Planning Policy Officer stated the analysis in 2023 had to consider the following 3 years of development as established by the UK National Government.

As of October 2023, there remained a surplus of plots available.

The Senior Devolution Lead for Planning Policy, Strategic Growth and Housing added, in terms of context, some applicants who had registered in the previous year had no serious interest in construction.

The Council needed applicants with genuine interest to realistically meet demand.  An exercise to investigate this was required to help better shape the Local Plan Review.

Moved by Councillor Tom Munro and seconded by Councillor John Ritchie

RESOLVED that Planning Committee note the contents of the Authority Monitoring     Report 2023/24 and endorse its publication.