Decision Maker: Strategy and Resources Policy Committee

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: December 11, 2024

Purpose: A delivery plan for new homes in the city, describing how we will deliver homes in line with the Housing Strategy’s ambition for ‘More homes and housing choice’. The plan outlines the actions the Council will take to deliver, support and influence housing growth in the city.   The plan will include a programme of delivery, action plan and site list providing detail on how sites identified for Housing in the Council’s draft Local Plan will be progressed.

Content: 10.1 The Executive Director City Futures submitted a report seeking approval from Strategy and Resources Policy Committee for a five-year Housing Growth Delivery Plan. The report summarises the key content of the Plan and its links to relevant tier one strategy documents. It is recommended that the Committee consider and approve the adoption of the Housing Growth Delivery Plan (Appendix 1).     10.2 RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee approve the adoption of a new five-year Housing Growth Delivery Plan (Appendix A), Action Plan (Appendix B) and Delivery Programme (Appendix C).      10.3 Reasons for Decision     10.3.1 The Housing Growth Delivery Plan will provide clarity and certainty on the Council’s ambitions for housing growth over the next five years. It shows how the sites made available for housing purposes will contribute towards the Housing Strategy’s ambition for ‘more homes and housing choice’. The delivery plan will be an important document that helps to shape how we collaborate with partners across the city meet the ambitions for housing growth in the city.      10.4 Alternatives Considered and Rejected     10.4.1 Alternative Option 1: Do not develop a Housing Growth Delivery Plan It is not a statutory duty to develop a Housing Growth Delivery Plan, and the Council could have chosen not to develop a plan for housing growth. This option was rejected as the delivery plan will provide clarity and certainty on the Council’s delivery programmes for housing growth. This will support further investment in the city and bolster the transparency of the Council’s plans.     10.4.2 Alternative Option 2: Deliver fewer affordable homes as part of our Housing Growth Delivery Plan A delivery programme which included fewer affordable homes was considered – our preferred programme includes significant disposal of land and investment into affordable housing. This option was rejected as the Council needs to deliver as much new affordable housing as possible through growth in order to meet the need for these tenures.