Along with other Residents’ Associations in the district, we have been working hard to convince TRDC to reduce the number of new homes planned for in the new Local Plan so as to protect Green Belt whilst still providing the true number of homes needed to meet local needs. Alongside this, in co-operation with organisations such as the London Green Belt Council and CPRE, we have been working to get the Government to adjust their stance on mandatory central housing targets and to ensure that Planning Inspectors truly apply the protections of Green Belt specified in National Planning Policy. Through this, the aim is to both provide the local homes we need whilst protecting more of our precious Green Belt.
In the latter part of last year we began to make real progress, with TRDC agreeing to prepare a plan using an alternative method to calculate the required housing numbers, and with the Minister for Housing clearly beginning to accept that the current approach to setting targets for new housing doesn’t work at a local level.
After what appeared to be some initial backsliding by TRDC, we are pleased to say that in December the Council unanimously agreed to revise its plans so that it will calculate its new housing target based on local need rather than use centrally set housing targets, which take no account of local drivers and constraints. The Council is now working on this revised plan and intends to undertake a full consultation on a revised new Local Plan in September / October. In the meantime, there will be a consultation starting at the end of this month on six additional sites identified for potential development so that these can be included in the list of sites from which development sites can be selected later this year. None of the new sites are in Chorleywood but, once the consultation formally commences, we will update residents through our regular Planning Updates.
01923 537 637
enquiries@chorleywoodresidents.co.uk
