Far reaching national planning reforms published in December 2024 prompted a halt to work on the current Herefordshire Local Plan whilst an extensive review of strategic planning was undertaken, along with an assessment of how best to progress with plan preparation. Despite the council providing extensive feedback on the consultation last September, none of these views were taken into consideration.
Amongst the changes set out in the government’s reforms was the introduction of new mandatory housing targets. The figure that Herefordshire must plan for is 27,260 new homes over a 20-year period, compared with the 16,100 previously provided for in the present Local Plan. This is close to a 70% increase. Past records of housebuilding are no where near that increase. This level of housing will also need to be accompanied with appropriate levels of employment, community facilities and infrastructure to accommodate the increase in population.
Having carefully considered the options for a way forward for local plan-making and the risks associated with these, the council has concluded that the huge upswing in housing numbers forced upon Herefordshire by the government, means that the Local Plan cannot progress in its current form. The only feasible option is to begin production of a new-style local plan under the government’s revised plan-making system, as set out in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. This will allow for detailed additional site assessments to be carried out, along with the production of robust evidence to underpin new policies, to guide the delivery of the increased growth over the next 20 years.
Cllr Elissa Swinglehurst, Cabinet Member Environment, said: “The new government housing targets for Herefordshire are close to double the original planned delivery. Herefordshire has never seen house building on this scale and we do not have the infrastructure in place to accommodate it. Nevertheless, the housing numbers are not something we can change so we have to do our best to come up with the right plan for how and where to deliver 27,260 houses along with the infrastructure and employment sites that entails.
"This requires a complete restart of the local plan so we will have to go back through all of the consultation process. I hope that we can re-engage with those individuals and groups who responded the first time and maybe add a few more."