Stratford District Council’s housing figure agreed

Stratford-on-Avon District Council's Cabinet has today, Monday 29 April, agreed to recommend to the Council a new District Core Strategy housing requirement of 9,500 for the District for the 20 year period 2008 to 2028.

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.

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 Cabinet and will now go forward as part of the evidence base for housing, planning policy and Core Strategy purposes.

The Cabinet also agreed to recommend to the Council 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.

A special meeting of the Council will be held on 15 May to consider these recommendations.