East Suffolk Councils Suffolk Coastal Local Plan Waveney

East Suffolk Council’s Suffolk Coastal Local Plan, Waveney Local Plan & Housing Action Plan

East Suffolk Formed 1 st April 2019 from Suffolk Coastal & Waveney District Councils. Northern edge falls within Broads Authority.

Suffolk Coastal Area HDT result 128% History of housing delivery 2010 -2016 housing came forward through windfall sites due to lack of housing allocations. Core Strategy & DMP (2013) set housing requirement at 465 dpa. Site Allocations and Area Specific Policies DPD (Jan 2017) & Felixstowe Peninsula Area Action Plan (Jan 2017). Range of site sizes. Mostly greenfield. Housing delivery has exceed targets since 2015/16. Final Draft Local Plan (2019) sets housing requirement at 582 dpa. Focus on A 12/A 14 and railway corridor.

Successful housing delivery during 1990 s and 2000 s. The Suffolk Structure Plan (2001) set requirement for 6700 homes at 335 dpa for period 1996 -2016. Waveney Area HDT 72% History of housing delivery By 2005 Waveney had delivered 6465 at rate of 385 dpa. E East of England Plan (2008) gave Waveney regeneration status. Ambitious plan to target challenging brownfield sites that would regenerate Lowestoft. Core Strategy (2009) required 6960 homes at 290 dpa for period 2001 -2015. 2001 -2010 delivered at the rate of 357 dpa. Core Strategy (2009), Site Specific Allocations (2011) and Lowestoft Lake Lothing & Outer Harbour Area Action Plan (2012) adopted as the recession took hold.

New Local Plan for 8223 homes at 374 dpa (up from 290 dpa) Lowestoft Area - 56% of housing growth Waveney Area New Local Plan 2019 Beccles and Worlingham 16% of housing growth Halesworth and Holton 8% of housing growth Bungay - 6% of housing growth Southwold and Reydon 4% of housing growth Rural Area - 10% of housing growth

Evidence Methodology Review of previous housing strategy Review of previous site allocations and development progress Review of National Housing policies, reports and information Housing Land Supply Questionnaire Developer Forum feedback Analysis of Development Management processes Uniform data collected Sites that have completed in the last five years. Sites that have planning permission. Sites that are allocated in local plans. Site with lapsed planning consents. Site size (number of units) Site typology the sites (greenfield v. brownfield). The length of time spent determining planning applications. The length of time from planning consent to work starting on site.

Issues in Waveney Issues in Suffolk Coastal The previous emphasis on regeneration, Less pronounced in Suffolk Coastal than Waveney but need to be mindful. The high proportion of previous allocated brownfield sites, Root Causes Nation Housing Issues A high dependence on central Lowestoft for growth, The increasing dominance of a small number of volume housebuilders. The impact of the recession on the economy and land values in Waveney and especially Lowestoft, The homogenous housing product can only be absorbed into the housing market at a certain rate without affecting local house prices. Difficulty in attracting a range of housebuilders to the area, Slower than expected progress developing key sites in Lowestoft, and Possible delays in housing delivery due to infrastructure. The viability of sites developed by small and medium housebuilders can be more affected by delays and costs, than volume housebuilders.

Previously Developed Land in Waveney

Length of time to determine planning applications

Length of time from consent to work starting on site

Lapsed planning applications

Procedural Actions Issue Action Expected outcome Timescale Relevant service area Procedural Varied take up of preapplication advice service Review pre-application advice service Additional take up of pre-application advice (can we quantify? ) 2019/20 Development Management Quality of planning applications affecting the validation process Introduce Accredited Agents Scheme. Faster validation 2019/20 Development Management Varying model conditions Introduce one set of model conditions Discharge of conditions is more efficient 2019/20 Development Management Length of time negotiating S 106 agreements Develop S 106 templates Speed up negotiations with standard wording for different standard scenarios that would be published on the website 2019/20 S 106 Officer Delays determining planning applications due to S 106 negotiations Considering ways to Reduction in the encourage owners, number of delays agents and developers to provide a legal undertaking and start the S 106 process earlier on to prevent delays in determining applications 2019/20 S 106 Officer

Issue Action Expected outcome Timescale Policy Delivery of housing on large Establishment of Major Sites Planning Serviceable to Posts to be filled as soon as / complex sites and Infrastructure Team bring together factors possible involved in delivery of sites Production of design / development briefs Policy Actions Clear guidance to support submission of planning applications, improved design and less homogenous housing Identification of Adoption of up to date Local Planned approach to appropriate deliverable and Plans growth, which can be developable site allocations supported by the other actions identified above Limited number housebuilders operating in East Suffolk Develop design briefs for small sites Monitoring site allocations Maintain an internal list of development sites and use a ‘RAG’ system to prioritise resources to assist development 2019 / 20 and beyond Relevant service area Planning Policy and Delivery Waveney Local Plan adopted Planning Policy and Delivery March 2019 Suffolk Coastal Local Plan to be adopted by early 2020 Clear guidance to support 2019/20 submission of planning applications and to attract more small and medium housebuilders to East Suffolk Planning Policy and Delivery More engagement with land owners and developers and the ability to act quickly to resolve issues Planning Policy and Delivery 2019/20

Issue Site Specific Assisting developers with site specific issues Site Specific & Resource Actions Delivery of Brightwell Lakes Resources Vacant posts in Major Sites and Infrastructure Team Staff Action Expected outcome Timescale Appoint an “Enabling Officer” to act as point of contact to help resolve issues More engagement with 2019/20 land owners and developers and the ability to act quickly to resolve issues Planning Policy and Delivery Bid for funding to Housing Infrastructure Funding to enable infrastructure works on site to support start of the first phases of development Planning Policy and Delivery (Major Sites and Infrastructure) Re-advertise posts Posts to be appropriately 2019 filled Planning Policy and Delivery (Major Sites and Infrastructure) Continue to support planning apprenticeships and training More young people wanting to work in planning Policy and Delivery & 2019/20 Relevant service area Development Management