12.12.2024
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With the new NPPF published on 12th December 2024, what does it mean for annual housing requirements in London and the South East?
There has been much talk over Labour’s pledge to build 1.5 million homes in the next five years. The new NPPF was published on Thursday 12th December 2024, and with it, a revised standard method that provides new annual housing targets which Labour believe will help achieve their mamoth target of homes that they have pledged to build.
Using the new standard method to calculate annual housing requirements, we have created a series of interactive maps to show how annual housing requirements across the South East and London have changed.
South East
As a region, the South East sees an increase in annual housing requirements under the proposed standard methodology. The majority of the increase occurs within Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire, with more moderate increases occurring in East Sussex and Kent.
There are four Local Planning Authorities which have an annual housing requirement of over 1,500 dwellings per year. Brighton and Hove Council's housing requirements increase from 2,319 to 2,498 dwellings per year under the new standard methodology, New Forest District Council's annual housing requirements have increased from 729 to 1,501 dwellings per year, Elmbridge Borough Council's requirements have increased from 653 to 1,562 dwellings per year, and Medway Council's housing requirements have actually decreased from 1,658 to 1,594 dwellings per year.
There are nine Local Planning Authorities that have seen their annual housing requirements increase by more than double under the new standard methodology. These Councils include:
London
London is the only region in England to see an overall decrease in annual housing requirements, going from approximately 98,000 dwellings per year to approximately 88,000 per year. That is not to say that everywhere in London has seen a reduction in housing requirements, the London Boroughs of Westminster, Wandsworth and Kensington & Chelsea have seen the big hikes in their annual housing targets and are now required to build 5,107, 4,383, and 3,441 homes per year (respectively).
The focus of the increase in annual housing requirements is located predominantly (but not exclusively) in west Central London, whereas some of the Boroughs where housing growth was particularly focused, such as in Tower Hamlets, Barking & Dagenham, Greenwich, Hounslow and Newham, have all had their housing requirements relaxed.
Unsurprisingly, Kensington & Chelsea sees the biggest percentage increase in housing requirements - a staggering 509% which is more than five times the previous figure! The London Borough with the second biggest percentage increase is Richmond-upon-Thames which sees a 224% increase in housing requirements. Other London Boroughs that see housing requirement increases of over 100% include Westminster and Bromley.
If you have any sites for residential development in any of the affected areas that you would like to discuss, or have any other queries related to the NPPF, please feel free to contact us via email at info@dhaplanning.co.uk or via telephone call on 01622 776226.
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