BAG have been working on a White Paper analysing how Basildon Borough Council (BBC) produced a target of 16,000 homes, termed the Objectively Assessed Need (OAN). This number was questioned by BAG and by many residents in their response to the Consultation Process during March 2014, yet it still stands. BAG concluded that the 16,000 homes assessed by BBC as being needed to meet future growth to 2031 is unnecessarily high. Our intention is to get BBC to revisit this number and to significantly reduce it.
BBC's recommendation is not “robust” and despite their claim otherwise the Government have not dictated the number: it is BBC's choice from a range of options available to them. BAG believe that the proposed OAN of 16,000 homes (including 2,500 for Billericay) goes far beyond the figure needed to satisfy the National Planning Inspectorate.
Our conclusions are based on detailed analysis of BBC's “Housing Growth Topic Paper” and other documents which look at different scenarios and projections - such as “Natural Growth” and various “Migration” based projections. BBC has chosen to reject these scenarios instead choosing a far higher number based on an “Economic Scenario”.
BAG WHITE PAPER UPDATED
Our latest revision includes a new, vitally important section showing that Building on Green Belt is a choice, not an obligation. Basildon can choose NOT to build on Green Belt.
No one from Basildon Borough Council has publicly (or privately) challenged anything in our previous versions. Absolutely no one. However, Borough Cllr Dr Richard Moore, responsible for Planning seemed to be echoing our calls for a revision of the numbers in December : “I can confirm that this council …. is considering revisiting the Objectively Assessed Needs … It could in turn inform whether the housing targets for south Essex local plans need to change” whilst Leader of the Council Phil Turner has said that a new Council official has been charged with challenging the numbers
A few months ago we released our White Paper showing that Basildon Borough Council’s “Objectively Assessed Need” (OAN) of 16,000 homes was unjustified. Our newly updated version has just been sent to all Borough Councillors, our MP and Prospective Parliamentary Candidates. It’s worth noting that no one from Basildon Borough Council - political or professional - has either publicly or privately challenged anything in our White Paper. Absolutely no-one.
This latest version includes new or enlarged sections including one on Affordability where we show that Basildon Borough Council can meet, or even exceed, its Affordable Housing need without requiring a high OAN.
BBC's recommendation is not “robust” and despite their claim otherwise the Government have not dictated the number: it is BBC's choice from a range of options available to them. BAG believe that the proposed OAN of 16,000 homes (including 2,500 for Billericay) goes far beyond the figure needed to satisfy the National Planning Inspectorate.
Our conclusions are based on detailed analysis of BBC's “Housing Growth Topic Paper” and other documents which look at different scenarios and projections - such as “Natural Growth” and various “Migration” based projections. BBC has chosen to reject these scenarios instead choosing a far higher number based on an “Economic Scenario”.
BAG WHITE PAPER UPDATED
Our latest revision includes a new, vitally important section showing that Building on Green Belt is a choice, not an obligation. Basildon can choose NOT to build on Green Belt.
No one from Basildon Borough Council has publicly (or privately) challenged anything in our previous versions. Absolutely no one. However, Borough Cllr Dr Richard Moore, responsible for Planning seemed to be echoing our calls for a revision of the numbers in December : “I can confirm that this council …. is considering revisiting the Objectively Assessed Needs … It could in turn inform whether the housing targets for south Essex local plans need to change” whilst Leader of the Council Phil Turner has said that a new Council official has been charged with challenging the numbers
A few months ago we released our White Paper showing that Basildon Borough Council’s “Objectively Assessed Need” (OAN) of 16,000 homes was unjustified. Our newly updated version has just been sent to all Borough Councillors, our MP and Prospective Parliamentary Candidates. It’s worth noting that no one from Basildon Borough Council - political or professional - has either publicly or privately challenged anything in our White Paper. Absolutely no-one.
This latest version includes new or enlarged sections including one on Affordability where we show that Basildon Borough Council can meet, or even exceed, its Affordable Housing need without requiring a high OAN.
|
|
You can download the original white paper and associated summary here:
|
|
- The OAN of 16000 new homes by 2031 goes far beyond the figure needed to satisfy the National Planning Inspectorate.
BAG’s argument is based on detailed analysis of BBC’s Housing Growth Topic Paper (HGTP) and other documents. The HGTP looks at scenarios and projections of various types such as Natural Growth, Migration and others.
BBC has chosen to reject these scenarios. They have instead chosen to utilise a much higher Economic Scenario. This choice is made despite the flawed assumptions built into the scenario, the social consequences of these flaws and the criticism of this approach by the TGSE Partnership and their planning consultants.