Standard method for local housing needs

The introduction of a standard method for assessing housing needs for planning purposes (first consulted on in 2017, then adopted in 2018) intended to shift time, resources and debate at examination away from the ‘numbers’ question and towards the ‘how’ and ‘where’ of building new homes. This method is based on the 2014-based Household Projections plus an uplift for affordability, subject to a ‘cap’. Housing numbers in the 20 largest cities and urban areas are also topped up by a further 35%, reflecting Government objectives to, inter alia, drive housing into existing urban areas and encourage brownfield development.

 

The publication of new affordability data by ONS in April 2022 results in a number of changes to local housing need in authorities across the country. In the absence of a central source, Lichfields has reviewed the changes to affordability and what this means for the standard method. The tables below compare affordability and its impact on the standard method with current local plan requirements, grouped by region.

 

Read more about our thoughts in the potential implications of these new figures in our blogs here.