3. Strategy and Strategic Policies

3.1 The Spelthorne Local Plan 2022 – 2037 sets out how we can achieve a sustainable future for Spelthorne that protects and enhances our Borough, delivers a wide range of benefits for our residents and meets our future housing needs

3.2 The Plan seeks to deliver 9,270 homes over the Plan period, which equates to an average of 618 homes per year. This figure is Spelthorne’s objectively assessed need, based on the Government Standard methodology, which is set out in the NPPF and the accompanying Planning Practice Guidance.

3.3 In order to meet our housing need including need for Gypsy and Traveller sites, while managing the impact of new development on Staines, the Local Plan strategy agreed by the Council is to release a small amount (approximately 0.7% / 24.8 ha) of Green Belt. This approach will allow for more family homes with gardens to be built, as well as offering the opportunity for lower building heights in the more sensitive areas of Staines-upon-Thames.

3.4 The Council considers that it is only possible to achieve this by meeting our housing need in full and by demonstrating Exception Circumstances to amend Green Belt boundaries through the production of this new Local Plan.

ST1: Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development

When determining development proposals the Council will take a positive approach that reflects the presumption in favour of sustainable development contained in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The Council will work proactively with applicants with the aim of finding solutions that mean that proposals can be approved wherever possible, in order to secure development that improves the economic, social and environmental conditions in the Borough.
Planning applications that accord with the policies in this Local Plan (and, where relevant, with policies in any neighbourhood plans adopted in the future) will be approved without delay, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
Where there are no policies relevant to the application or relevant policies are out of date at the time of making the decision, then the Council will grant permission unless material considerations indicate otherwise, taking into account whether:
1. the application of policies in the National Planning Policy Framework that protect areas or assets of particular importance provides a clear reason for refusing the development proposed; or
2. any adverse impacts of granting permission would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against the policies in the National Planning Policy Framework taken as a whole.

Reasoned justification

3.5 The NPPF emphasises that all Local Plans should be based upon and reflect the presumption in favour of sustainable development. The principle informs both the policies and site allocations contained within the ‘Local Plan: Strategy and Sites’ and will be used to guide decision makers.

3.6 Local Planning Authorities are encouraged to include a policy within their Local Plan that embraces the presumption in favour of sustainable development. Policy ST1 meets this requirement and adopts the model wording suggested. When implementing Policy ST1, local circumstances will be taken into account to respond to different opportunities for achieving sustainable development. In accordance with policies in the NPPF that protect important natural and heritage assets, the presumption will not automatically apply to: habitats sites (including sites protected under the Birds and Habitats Directives) and/or designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), development requiring appropriate assessment because of its potential impact on a habitats site, land designated as Green Belt, or Local Green Space, designated heritage assets, and or locations identified as at risk of flooding.

Sustainability Appraisal Indicators

Sustainability

Key Evidence

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2021

ST2: Planning for the Borough

Spatial Development Strategy

The housing requirement for Spelthorne is 618⁹ dwellings per annum over the plan period (2022 – 2037), a total of 9,270. During the plan period, provision has been made for at least 9,270 new homes. Table 1 shows the contribution of all sources of housing supply.
Economic growth in Spelthorne will be supported by maintaining and intensifying the use of the Borough’s employment floorspace offer. This will be done by;
- safeguarding employment land,
- provision of new land in line with needs identified through the most up to date evidence and
- encouraging its innovative re-use in ways that better meet the needs of the market.
Provision for new permanent pitches for Gypsies and Travellers and new permanent plots for Travelling Showpeople (as defined by Planning Policy for Traveller Sites) to meet the accommodation needs in the Borough which are identified in the most up-to- date Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA).
The Council expects that all development proposals located within or adjacent to town/local centres or a public transport interchange will seek to optimise the density of development, in order to make the most efficient use of the land in the most sustainable locations.
The Council expects that all development will, at a scale proportionate to the proposal, make a positive contribution to achieving the relevant targets relating to climate change and Biodiversity Net Gain.

Reasoned Justification

3.7 National policy requires that we meet objectively assessed housing needs, including any unmet needs from neighbouring authorities, where it is practical to do so and consistent with achieving sustainable development. Spelthorne’s objectively assessed housing need has been based on the Government standard methodology set out in the NPPF 2021 and accompanying Planning Practice Guidance.

3.8 Spelthorne’s total housing supply over the plan period (2022-2037) is indicated in the table below and will comprise homes from a variety of sources in addition to the Local Plan’s site allocations.

Sources of supply over the plan period: 2022 – 2037 (net number of homes)¹⁰

Source	Approx. number of units	Comments
Allocations	6073*	829 in Green Belt 5244 in Urban area 5% under-delivery discount applied
Brownfield Tier 2 sites (> 5 units)	1,729**	5% under-delivery discount applied
Windfall: Small sites	570	38 per annum x 15 years
Windfall: Office to residential permitted development	275	36 per annum in 6-10 years1 18 per annum in 11-15 years
Under construction	792	As of 31 March 2022
Total	9,439
Average per annum	629

* Yields identified in the Local Plan supersede that identified in the SLAA for allocated sites.
** Excluding sites identified for allocation in the Local Plan

3.9 Spelthorne has an annual requirement for 618 homes per annum, which has been determined using the Government’s standard methodology for calculating local housing need (LHN). The methodology uses the official 2014 household projections with an uplift to take account of local affordability.

3.10 The Council has produced a Strategic Land Availability Assessment (SLAA) to identify which parcels of land in the urban area could help to meet development needs and has also undertaken a Green Belt Assessment to determine which areas are weakly performing and could be released from the Green Belt. These evidence base documents have informed the sites identified for potential allocation in the Local Plan.

3.11 Not all sites identified in the SLAA have been allocated in the Local Plan due to their non-strategic nature and the lack of benefits identified from an allocation. As such they are expected to be delivered as windfall development and are identified as ‘Brownfield Tier 2’ sites. In addition, an allowance for small sites and office to residential permitted development has been identified based on past trends. Sites under construction as of March 2022 are included within the supply, with a 15 year period from 2022 to 2037.

3.12 Spelthorne sits within a housing market area (HMA) with Runnymede Borough Council. Spelthorne shares its strongest economic links with Runnymede, Elmbridge and the London Boroughs of Hillingdon & Hounslow and together these authorities sit within a Heathrow focussed Functional Economic Market Area (FEMA). Runnymede has recently had its Local Plan examined. The Runnymede Local Plan will make provision for a minimum of 7,480 net additional dwellings over their plan period, a 20,000 sqm business park in New Haw and a 79,025sqm (7,350sqm net) office/business park at the Longcross Enterprise Zone. They are also seeking to deliver a minimum of 7,540sqm net retail floorspace and a minimum of 60,260 sqm net employment floorspace delivered in Runnymede Borough’s Strategic Employment Areas.

Sustainability Appraisal Indicators

Sustainability Appraisal Indicators

Monitoring Indicators

Indicator	Target	Data Source
Net number of new homes delivered per annum	618 (net)	In house Council Monitoring
Net number of additional permanent pitches for Gypsies and Travellers and 15 permanent plots for Travelling Showpeople	3 permanent pitches for Gypsies and Travellers 15 permanent plots for Travelling Showpeople	In house Council Monitoring
Net additional office and research and development (E (g) (i and ii)) floorspace Net additional of storage and distribution (B8) floorspace	15,000 sqm of (net) office and research and development (E (g) (i and ii)) 14,000 sqm of storage and distribution (B8) (net)	In house Council Monitoring
Additional comparison retail floorspace	22,000 sqm (gross).	In house Council Monitoring

Key Evidence

Strategic Housing Market Assessment (2015) and SHMA update (2019)
Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (2018)
Employment Land Needs Assessment (Spelthorne Borough Council, 2018)
Employment Land Needs Assessment Update (2022)

⁹ As calculated using the standard method for assessing housing need. The Council will review the local housing need figure as and when appropriate, guided by the Government's approach to assessing housing need.

¹⁰ Housing need is an unconstrained assessment of the number of homes needed in an area whereas housing supply is the number of homes anticipated to be delivered in the local authority area to meet these needs.

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