Report of the Planning Policy Section Head

A report was received from the Planning Policy Section Head on the Authority’s Monitoring Report which was produced annually to outline the progress made on the local plan timetable and assess the effectiveness of planning policies against various targets to see whether the local plan objectives were being achieved.  Part of the work included mandatory information in accordance with current planning regulations.

The Mayor explained that it was important for the council to measure demographic change in order to know how Watford’s population was changing and therefore what services to provide.  The Local Plan 2 would also need to take account of changes within the town.

Councillor Sharpe commented that although there was no legal requirement for the report to come to Cabinet it was felt that the very thorough report should have a wider exposure and it was an opportunity for Cabinet to consider the purpose of the report.  It also allowed Cabinet to see whether planning policies were being implemented successfully, whether changes were needed and to have a wider contemplation of planning situation in Watford.  Planning was important to building a successful environment and ensuring areas were successful.  The council was required to work to a national framework and expected to provide for housing and employment growth.  It was therefore necessary to adapt and change or decline and decay.  To be a successful town and manage that success.  The council was ahead of housing completion targets and a dip in housing numbers this year had been offset by over achievement in other years.  There was continued progress on economic development and creating jobs. 

Councillor Sharpe continued that the current government was driving towards a growth agenda without investing in infrastructure.  The council had invested in infrastructure by building Thomas Sawyer Way which was key to maintaining the hospital.  The council would also continue to press towards the Metropolitan Line Extension in order to expand the rail network and tackle traffic congestion.  Nationally there had been a period where urban areas were declining in favour of out of town shopping; it was now the case that urban areas had rallied but looking to the future it would be necessary to fight to get the infrastructure needed to support this. 

Cabinet further discussed the report and recognised challenges such as the removal of subsidies for social housing and a struggling infrastructure.  However, these were also national issues and the council was trying to work to address them.  Within the town there was only one area in Central Ward which was on the national deprivation ranking.

The Planning Policy Section Head commented that a key challenge was affordable housing as small houses had seen a £100,000 increase in property prices since early 2014.   He drew to Cabinet’s attention that nearly all the development in the town had been on previously developed land (brownfield sites) so the town was looking after its green spaces.

Cabinet thanked officers for the report.

RESOLVED -

That Cabinet notes the information provided by the AMR 2016.