Letter from Housing Minister Sajid Javid to Eastleigh Borough Council Leader Keith House, 29 March 2018: ADD supporters will be interested to know that this letter was sent by Sajid Javid to Keith House last Friday, 23 March. We have also printed it below:
“Dear Councillor House,
LOCAL PLAN INTERVENTION
Following your Council’s persistent failure over many years to get a Local Plan in place, on 16 November 2017, I expressed concerns about the lack of progress your authority has made on plan-making. The housing White Paper set out that intervention in Local Plans will be prioritised where:
- the least progress in plan-making has been made
- policies in plans had not been kept up to date
- there was higher housing pressure; and
- intervention would have the greatest impact in accelerating Local Plan production
We also made clear that decisions on intervention will be informed by the wider planning context in each area (specifically, the extent to which authorities are working cooperatively to put strategic plans in place, and the potential impact that not having a plan has on neighbourhood planning activity). I gave you the opportunity to put forward any exceptional circumstances by 31 January 2018, which, in your view, justifies the failure to produce a Local Plan under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 regime.
I note that your Council has made some progress since my letter of 16 November 2017. Whilst this is welcome, your Council still remains without an up to date Local Plan which undermines public confidence in the plan-led planning system.
Therefore I will hold you to account for your Council’s actions. Your Council needs to continue to meet your published timetable. I will continue to monitor your progress closely and any further significant delays in meeting your timetable will cause me to have considerable doubt as to whether your Council is doing everything that is necessary in connection with the preparation of its Local Plan. I will not hesitate to consider how to use the full range of powers Parliament has given me to ensure that a Plan is in place.
My officials will continue to engage with your officers.
RT HON SAJID JAVID MP
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
4th Floor, Fry Building
2 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DF
Tel: 0303 444 3450
Email: [email protected]
www.gov.uk/mhclg”
