New housing target ‘may have been met already’

HENLEY may not have to earmark additional land for a likely increase in its housing target, it has been claimed.

David Whitehead, who is helping the town council to update its joint neighbourhood plan with Harpsden, says enough new homes may already be in the pipeline to meet a higher quota for the two parishes.

He warned his colleagues on the neighbourhood plan committee that there could be a “peasants’ revolt” if more homes were built than the number required by South Oxfordshire District Council, the planning authority.

But Mayor Ken Arlett said Henley might need to exceed the official figure in order to meet a growing need for more “affordable” and social housing.

Henley and Harpsden must currently find space for about 500 units by 2027, which the neighbourhood plan allocates across 10 sites.

But that quota is likely to rise when the district council updates its own local plan to run until 2034. This is due to be completed early next year.

Mr Whitehead said the increase could be met through new housing schemes which weren’t in the plan but had been granted planning permission anyway. These included two former office blocks being turned into housing — the Smith Centre off Fair Mile (78 units) and Andersen House in Newtown Road (43 units) — and the disused Wyevale garden centre off the A4155 in Shiplake (40 units).

He said the district council was looking to increase the target figure by between 115 and 216 homes.

Mr Whitehead, who is the Henley Society’s chairman of planning, said that even with a shortfall, it shouldn’t be necessary to develop most of the 13 pieces of land put forward by landowners for inclusion in the updated neighbourhood plan.

He said: “I’m concerned that with all these new sites being considered, there’s a danger that the town may agree to more houses than the district council actually requires.

“Opposition comes down to traffic congestion and other issues including the loss of green space.

“Three letters in a recent edition of the Henley Standard were deploring the extent of new housing being proposed in the town.

“Our figures suggest we already have enough housing sites without adding any more... there may well be a peasants’ revolt if the town approves more.”

Councillor Arlett replied that there might “have to be a revolt”.

He said: “The district council’s target is a moving one and although they’ve mentioned similar numbers in talks with us, they won’t put anything in writing.

“Once we put those housing need figures out there, I think it’s going to start a big debate.

“People say we need more affordable and social housing but if you want to build that, you’ve going to have to go higher than Mr Whitehead’s figures.”

A report by AECOM, the town council’s planning consultant, on demand for affordable and social housing is due to be published next month.

Councillor Arlett told the Henley Standard: “By all accounts there’s a very large need and we’re massively short.

“We may well have met the district’s figure but we have to look at every piece of land that comes forward or the owners could oppose the updated plan when it goes to
referendum.

“We also have to consider whether some sites could be good for Henley and Harpsden regardless — we can’t just throw away opportunities for more affordable housing. That could indirectly allow more private housing but you’re going to get your 40 per cent affordable quota under planning policy.”

The 10 sites currently being considered for the revised plan include:

• The northern half of Lucy’s Farm on Drawback Hill, between Henley and Harpsden, where Bloor Homes has proposed building about 100 units.

• A playing field at Gillotts School immediately to the west (50). Gillotts could make up to £20 million from selling the land, which it would spend on improving its buildings and sports facilities.

• The southern half of Swiss Farm, off Marlow Road, Henley (41),

• A 6.9-hectare field to the south of the town council's allotments in Reading Road, Henley, which owner Juliet Noble is offering to donate for up to 60 homes for social rent in perpetuity.

In addition, Crest Nicholson, which is building 191 homes at Highlands Park off Greys Road, has proposed developing a smaller field to the east which could take a share of social units.

The revised plan can’t go to a referendum before May because of coronavirus restrictions and it would require public consultation before that anyway.