Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2010 - Falkirk Council

2. MOVING FORWARD – THE LHS FRAMEWORK
2.1 This SHIP is prepared within an overall framework for the development of the next
Local Housing Strategy which is set out in Appendices 2a and 2b. This framework
has developed from discussions with RSLs and other stakeholders during the past
year.
2.2 The new framework means that the development of the SHIP is overseen by the
multi-agency Housing Need, Demand and Supply Executive (HND&S) Group which
includes RSL and Scottish Government Housing and Regeneration Division
representatives. The starting point for this group’s work is the Newhaven Research
(2007) 2 which identified the local market area and its sub markets and quantified
the requirement for affordable housing. An update of the data supporting the
definition of the housing market area has been carried out and has been
considered by the Executive Group. Local housing needs assessments at sub
market level using the methodology recommended by Newhaven has been carried
out to inform this SHIP. In future years the SHIP will be based upon the needs
assessment that will underpin the next LHS.
2.3 Assessing the need for affordable housing involves ongoing close joint working
between housing staff and planning colleagues in the Council’s Development
Services, Planning & Environment Unit. A key output has been the Council’s
Affordable Housing Policy which is set out in the Falkirk Council Local Plan, albeit
this is now under review (see item 4.5).
2.4 Scottish Government guidance 3 issued in 2008 requires there to be greater
integration between Local Housing Strategies and Local Development Plans
(LDPs). A Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA) should underpin both
and provide the key evidence base upon which housing supply targets are defined
in the LHS and land release decisions are made within the LDP. As part of this
integration the LHS should be submitted at the same time as the LDP Main Issues
Report and for Falkirk Council the target date for completion of these two pieces of
work is 2011.
2.5 Work continues on the assessment of housing needs for people who have
particular housing requirements. Further detail is provided in Section 3.
2.6 In order to have a clear link between the 2004-09 LHS and the next full LHS which
will cover the period 2011-16, an interim LHS Statement was prepared and agreed
by the Council in May 2010. The Statement aims to provide a bridge between the
two planning periods so that there is a clear and logical progression between past
and future priorities.
2 Newhaven Research (2007)
3 Scottish Government LHS Guidance (2008)
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