Policy H1 (as drafted) is considered unsound.

The Government has committed itself to boosting the supply of housing. NPPF/47 sets out this as an express policy requirement for all LPAs. The paragraph is designed to increase the delivery of new homes. Reflecting the requirement of NPPF/47, Policies SS1 and H1 (as drafted) are not considered to be positively prepared or consistent with national policy as they fail to allocate sufficient residential sites to ensure that the District's full objectively assessed housing need is delivered over the plan period. As an example of this deficiency, currently 6% of the District's residual housing requirement is proposed to be delivered on non-allocated sites, or sites to be allocated in Neighbourhood Plans. In the case of Fleckney over half (56%) of the settlement's minimum housing requirement is to be delivered on sites allocated in the emerging Neighbourhood Plan.

Relying on proposals on non-allocated sites and allocations in yet adopted to be Neighbourhood Plans to deliver a significant proportion of the District's housing requirement, provides insufficient guarantees that the District's identified housing need will be met. Evidence shows that many Neighbourhood Plans ignore suitable housing allocations in favour of less development. Some Neighbourhood Plans seek to deliver fewer houses than required by the Local Plan, or suppress development by making very minor or minimal allocations. In this regard, policies SS1 and H1 as drafted are not considered to be effective.

Policies SS1 and H1 as drafted are not considered to be justified as they do not represent the most appropriate strategy when considered against the alternative of allocating sufficient sites to meet all of Fleckney's minimum requirement. This is particularly relevant when sites suitable for residential allocation are clearly identified; as is the case in Fleckney - see land south of Kilby Road as promoted by Catesby Estates.