For Local Planning Authorities (LPAs), identifying sites for new housing is often a challenge – even more so when large swathes of their areas lie within the Green Belt.

This is the current situation facing LPAs in South Essex, creating somewhat of a divide when it comes to meeting housing requirements. 

Put simply: LPAs in the north of the county are meeting their housing needs as defined by the Housing Delivery Test, those in the south are not.

In general, delivery of new homes in Essex has been similar to that across England – with an average annual rate of 1 per cent of stock over the three years to March 2020. But this hides wide variations across the county, ranging from 2.1 per cent in Uttlesford to 0.4 per cent in Castle Point.

Meanwhile, the average delivery rate in the six South Essex LPAs of Basildon, Brentwood, Castle Point, Southend-on-Sea, Rochford and Thurrock was just 0.7 per cent in the three years to March 2020, compared to 1.3 per cent for the rest of the county.

This is despite presumption in favour of sustainable development being applicable in five of the six LPAs in South Essex. 

One reason for low rates of delivery is because much of the undeveloped land in the LPAs is designated as Green Belt. As it stands, over half of all land in Brentwood, Basildon, Thurrock, Castle Point and Rochford is Green Belt, while in Epping Forest – the only LPA outside South Essex where the presumption in favour of sustainable development is applicable – it accounts for over 90 per cent of undeveloped land.

As a result, LPAs in South Essex (some more so than others) have historically resisted allocating sufficient sites for development, slowing delivery of new homes. 

There are some signs that this is now starting to change. Basildon District Council plans to reduce Green Belt coverage from 63 per cent to 59 per cent to provide enough land for 8,612 new homes and Brentwood plans to release 1 per cent of land, enabling the construction of 2,700 homes at Dunton Hills Garden Village. Epping Forest has also made multiple changes to its proposals, enabling the creation of three large urban extensions on the outskirts of Harlow and the construction of over 1,000 homes at North Weald Bassett.

But more still needs to be done. An increase in supply is essential – particularly as undersupply in London and the desire for more space in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic is pushing people further east and up the A12 in search of a new home (see Savills Spotlight: Essex Development).   

Unfortunately, the Government’s support for brownfield development will not be enough and LPAs will need to adjust their planning policies accordingly. In short, amending Green Belt boundaries and identifying appropriate sites for development will be vital if Essex is to build enough homes to meet demand and unlock its full potential.

• Is new housing in Essex coming forward in the most sustainable locations?

Further information

Contact Jonathan Dixon

Contact Savills Planning