Stratford District Council’s housing figure agreed by Full Council

Stratford-on-Avon District Council's Full Council has today, Wednesday 15 May, agreed a new District Core Strategy housing requirement of 9,500 for the District for the 20 year period 2008 to 2028 following recommendation from The Cabinet in April.

This figure reflects the conclusions reached in an independent review of housing requirements carried out by Environmental Resources Management (ERM).  This review concluded that a minimum of 9,000 new dwellings is required to meet the housing needs arising from both the natural change in the resident population and an assumption of ongoing net in-migration of 1,000 people annually.

The figure of 9,500 preferred by The Cabinet is required to give more assurance that the Core Strategy will support modest economic growth in the District. ERM had concluded that any figure beyond 10,000 would be likely to drive higher levels of in-migration and out-commuting.

Cllr Chris Saint, Leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council says: “I am really pleased that The Council accepted this housing figure today.  Adopting a target based on sound up to date evidence, including new census data, puts us in a strong position to produce a sound Core Strategy by July."

The ERM report, together with the Housing Provision Options Study Update, the Strategic Housing Market Assessment Update and the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment 2012 Update, were all received by The District Council's Cabinet in April and will now go forward as part of the evidence base for housing, planning policy and Core Strategy purposes.

The District Council also agreed a revised Local Development Scheme which sets out a new timetable for the preparation and adoption of the various Development Plan Documents, including the Core Strategy.