Planning and Development Act 2024

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Obligation to prepare housing development strategy

46. (1) A planning authority, other than one to which subsection (1) of section 47 applies, shall prepare a housing development strategy for its functional area which—

(a) distributes planned population and housing growth within the area,

(b) identifies the spatial capacity of urban and rural locations to accommodate planned population, and

(c) prioritises infrastructural investment necessary for housing development.

(2) A housing development strategy prepared under subsection (1) shall be materially consistent with the housing strategy prepared under section 242 .

(3) The housing development strategy shall include:

(a) population and housing growth targets in tabular form, consistent with the regional spatial and economic strategy, allocated over the period of the development plan to each of the following:

(i) each settlement with a population of 1,500 or more at the last census;

(ii) groups of settlements with a population of less than 1,500 at the last census;

(iii) the open countryside outside settlements identified in the settlement hierarchy;

(b) in relation to each settlement or group of settlements referred to in subparagraphs (i) and (ii) of paragraph (a), an estimation of the land that is required to be zoned for residential use or a mix of residential and other uses to accommodate the allocated population and housing growth targets and to ensure that sufficient and suitable land is zoned having regard to—

(i) the settlement hierarchy,

(ii) existing capacity, and planned investment in capacity, in transport (including, in particular, transport infrastructure), community facilities, water services, utility infrastructure and any other necessary public infrastructural facilities and services,

(iii) residential density or a range of densities appropriate to the settlement,

(iv) an estimation of the capacity of compact urban development sites to accommodate development for residential use or a mixture of residential and other uses over the period of the plan,

(v) an estimation of the capacity of any part of long-term strategic development sites to deliver housing units over the period of the plan, and

(vi) the number of housing units permitted under existing permissions but not yet built and the expected timeframe within which those units will be completed;

(c) an analysis of vacant and derelict land or sites within the area and an estimation of the number of housing units that could be activated from the land or sites;

(d) a strategy to activate vacant and derelict land or sites into housing units;

(e) a statement of measures to prioritise compact urban development sites for residential use or a mixture of residential and other uses;

(f) where subsection (6) applies in respect of a settlement, a statement specifying that an urban area plan is required in respect of the settlement concerned;

(g) where subsection (7) applies in respect of part of a settlement, a statement specifying that a priority area plan is required in respect of the part of the settlement concerned;

(h) objectives to secure the implementation of the housing strategy, in particular, any of the matters referred to in subsection (5) of section 242 , including objectives requiring that a specified percentage of land zoned solely for residential use, or for a mixture of residential and other uses, be made available for the provision of housing of the types referred to in paragraph (f) of subsection (5) and subsection (6) of section 242 ;

(i) objectives regarding the provision of accommodation for members of the traveller community and the use of particular areas for that purpose;

(j) objectives relating to the monitoring of the progress achieved in implementing the housing development strategy;

(k) objectives relating to such other matters as may be prescribed.

(4) The housing development strategy may—

(a) include specific objectives as referred to in paragraph (h) of subsection (3) in respect of each area zoned for residential use, or for a mixture of residential and other uses, and, where required by local circumstances relating to the amount of housing required as estimated in the housing strategy under subsection (6) of section 242 , different specific objectives may be indicated in respect of different areas, subject to the specified percentage referred to in subsection (10) of section 242 not being exceeded, and

(b) indicate in respect of any particular area referred to in paragraph (a) that there is no requirement for housing referred to in subsection (6) of section 242 in respect of that area, or that a lower percentage than that specified in the housing strategy may instead be required in order to counteract undue segregation in housing between persons of different social backgrounds.

(5) Nothing in paragraphs (b) and (h) of subsection (3), subsection (4) or section 245 or 253 shall prevent any land zoned for residential use or a mix of residential and other uses being developed exclusively for housing of the types referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (6) of section 242 .

(6) This subsection applies in respect of a settlement where—

(a) the settlement is situated within the functional area of the planning authority,

(b) the settlement is a regional growth centre or key town, and

(c) in the opinion of the planning authority, the settlement is to be the subject of planned physical or population growth of such a scale as to require an integrated approach to the land-use and transportation planning for the entire urban area of the settlement.

(7) This subsection applies in respect of part of a settlement where the part concerned is situated within the functional area of the planning authority and—

(a) may be the subject of significant physical or population growth relative to the scale of the settlement in which the area is situated,

(b) is in need of physical, social or economic renewal, or

(c) requires the coordinated delivery of physical or other infrastructure that cannot otherwise be provided for in the settlement-specific objectives of the development plan for the settlement in which the part is situated.