The Parish Council objects to policy SP8 and the District Council's housing strategy, which is set out in paragraphs 4.85 - 4.112 of the Local Plan. The objectively-assessed needs for housing have recently been updated for the District Council in the report Updating the Housing Need (ORS, 2016). This leads to the assumption in policy SP8 that the Local Plan should provide for at least 14,000 dwellings in the plan period. The This in itself is questionable. The District Council does not have to accept this figure, particularly in those parts of the area which are designated as Green Belt. It is noted from the 2016 SHLAA Update that 63 sites are allocated in the Green Belt, amounting to 12,722 dwellings.

The allocations of land are based substantially on the results of the SHLAA, which has also been updated. The methodology results in a "scatter gun" pattern of development across the rural areas of the District. In village such as Knebworth, proposed housing allocations are way in excess of the capacity of the settlement to receive the amount of development.

In our view, the overall strategy is flawed and should be changed. In the SHLAA and in paragraph 4.104 of the Local Plan, a potential strategic development site has been identified to the west of the A1(M) at Stevenage. Most of this site lies within North Hertfordshire, and it was originally specified for development in the draft Hertfordshire Structure Plan Review of 1996. It was subsequently included in the East of England Plan, which was abandoned by the government in 2012.

Over a period of years, a considerable amount of work was done on the planning of this site. Initially, it was supported by the County Council, but this was withdrawn following a change of political control at County Hall. Nevertheless, a consortium of developers was formed to deliver the development via a Master Plan. Although the proposal was withdrawn with the demise of the Regional Plan, a considerable amount of detailed work was done. In our view, this means that the project could be revived in a short period of time. With a capacity of 3,100 dwellings, the site could make a major contribution to satisfying the dwellings requirements for North Hertfordshire in the plan period.

The inclusion of this site in the Local Plan (policy SP8) as a Strategic Housing Site would mean that 10,800 dwellings could be provided from seven sites. Thus, the requirement for local housing provisions could be reduced form 4,860 to 1,760 dwellings. The bulk of this development would be provided in the 21 Category A villages, via Neighbourhood Plans to be prepared by town and parish councils with the assistance of the District Council policy team.

The consequent changes to policy SP8 and the accompanying text are set out below.