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Representation ID: 7547

Received: 21/09/2021

Respondent: Luton Borough Council

Luton Council notes that the consultation document identifies that Bedford Borough Council must follow the standard method for calculating future housing requirements and that as a result of the government’s recent revisions to the standard method the figure for Bedford borough is 1,275 dwellings per year, giving a total of 25,500 dwellings from 2020 – 2040. Furthermore, it is acknowledged in the consultation document that this figure may change during the preparation of the Local Plan. As highlighted in our response to the Issues and Options consultation in September 2020, if the Bedford Local Plan does not meet its own housing need, Luton given its own constraints, will not be able to help to meet Bedford’s housing needs. The revised Local Plan will need to ensure that it is able to meet Bedford’s minimum annual housing requirement for the Plan period in accordance with Government guidance.
Luton Council intend to formally commence a review of the Luton Local Plan in due course once the issue of meeting our unmet housing need over the period 2011-2031 has been fully resolved. The adopted Central Bedfordshire Local Plan contains a commitment to deliver 7350 homes of Luton’s unmet need by 2031 and we await the Inspectors report into the North Hertfordshire Local Plan examination. For Luton Council and the Luton Local Plan review, key decisions such as the plan period, housing requirement, potential development capacity with in Luton etcetera have not currently been made. Unmet housing need from Luton for the period beyond 2031 could be an issue for the duty to co-operate (or its successor) which requires further consideration in this new round of local plans.