Hertfordshire Local Plan Watch

Hertfordshire continues to be a mixed bag as far as Local Plan progress is concerned. However, very little changes and it remains a political drama with the Green Belt and housing requirements the main protagonists.

Momentum differs greatly east to west across the County with the few that are progressing firmly bogged down in drawn-out examinations and modifications.

In the East, we painfully still await the outcome of the Inspectors thoughts on North Hertfordshire’s fortunes, whereas the arm wrestle between Welwyn Hatfield and their respective Inspector continues with yet more plot twists than a Richard Osmond novel!

Moving on to the wild South-West, there is a pattern of kicking things into the long grass it seems with the thought of up to date plans by Dec 2023 a distant memory; clearly in hope of some good news from the governments levelling up agenda on housing requirements and the role of the Green Belt.

As such, opportunities for strategic land remain in limbo for now, with emerging plans too far off in the distance to judge how existing site promotions may fair, whereas the prospect of new opportunities awaiting the outcome of the outstanding examinations and the potential for early reviews.

In many ways the position across Hertfordshire represents the perfect case study for the current issues with the plan led system and particularly the dichotomy between public perception on the planning system and the governments procrastination on its reform.

Housing Land Supply

As alluded to by my colleague Simon Elliott back in April, the Nov 2021 Housing Delivery Test is the shop window for the lack of delivery across the County, with 6 out of 10 Districts identified as ‘Presumption in Favour’ Authorities (less than 75% of their housing requirement).