Agenda item

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) onsetting out Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council’s proposed response to a recent consultation launched by Enfield Council who are seeking to update their adopted Local Plan. The New Enfield Local Plan 2019 - 2039 (ELP) will guide future spatial development up to 2039, and beyond.

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) setting out Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council’s proposed response to a recent consultation launched by Enfield Council who were seeking to update their adopted Local Plan.

The report from officers highlighted several areas of concern with Enfield Council’s updated draft Local Plan. In addition, the report included a draft response to the regulation 18 consultation.

The draft Enfield local plan seeks to provide 25,000 new homes which is part of the London Plan requirement for 1,246 new homes per year until 2029, with this target carried on to 2039. If the draft plan was to be adopted, then only a third of Enfield’s local plan demand would be met.

Enfield did consider a higher growth option of 55,000 new homes, but this option was not selected as the preferred option.

The emerging local plan sees significant development in Crewe’s Hill on Greenbelt land, close to the Welwyn Hatfield border with 3000 homes with associated community and social infrastructure. The policy for Crewe’s Hill, and subsequent masterplan, will significantly reduce the greenbelt from approximately 3.5km to 1.1km between Cuffley and Crewe’s Hill. The Enfield Greenbelt assessment identifies this as “Very high” and “High” harm to Welwyn Hatfield.

The Enfield’s Local Plan is due to be published for consideration in the summer 2022. This will be followed by an examination period, with the aim for the plan to be adopted in 2024. The deadline to respond to this particular Regulation 18 consultation is 13^th September 2021.

Concerns raised by Northaw and Cuffley Parish Council’s around infrastructure are included in the draft consultation response. Hertfordshire County Council is expected to send their own representations.

No objections or amendments were raised by members to the proposed response.  However, the following points were raised and discussed:

1)               Clarification was sought over the density of the proposed plan due to the variation between standard method of assessment and what Enfield Council were proposing. Officers suggested that Enfield Council may not have chosen the higher growth option of 55 000 homes due to concerns about density. Instead, Enfield had chosen the ‘medium’ option of 25 000 homes. The density in the urban areas would be higher than in the proposed expansion at Crewe’s Hill, suggesting that Enfield Council was trying to achieve a blend of housing density.

2)    Member expressed concern about the viability of the Enfield Local Plan delivering the number of new homes required.  It was noted Enfield Council was seeking to plan for 732 dwellings a year which they are not being achieved presently. Officers advised that the next London Plan would have significant impacts on how Enfield Council further developed their plans.

3)    Members noted the infrastructure delivery plan and the impact on transport and traffic issues.

4)    Officers confirmed that this was the first consultation for the Enfield Local Plan when the preferred level of growth and spatial strategy for accommodating, and there would be further opportunities for the Borough Council to engage. Officers also advised Members that the Enfield Local Plan would be required to link to the London Plan and any future reiteration. This would add difficulty in predicting future housing targets.

5)    Members expressed concerns about how the proposed short fall of circa 30,000 homes would be met, and whether councils such as Welwyn Hatfield would be expected to help fill the housing demand gap that remained.

6)    In response to questions, Officers confirmed that migration from London played a significant role in the housing need in Welwyn Hatfield.