SW Herts Group
Infrastructure Provider Meetings – HCC Education
Date: Thursday 28th February 2019
Time: 2pm-4pm
Venue: Hertsmere Borough Council Offices, Civic Offices, Elstree Way,
Borehamwood, Herts, WD6 1WA. Committee Rooms A and B.
Attendees
Hertfordshire County Council
Watford
Dan Hardy (DH)
Phil Dodshon (PD)
Martin Wells (MW)
Velda Wong (VW)
Dacorum
Michael Dunnage (MD)
Andrew Horner (AH)
Phil Brunt (PB)
Emma Cooper (EC)
Joint Strategic Plan
Hertsmere
Chris Outtersides (CO)
Laura Wood (LW)
Beckie Nudds (BN)
Three Rivers
Joe Lambert (JL)
Lauren McCullagh (LM)
St Albans
Wendy Frost (WF)
OBJECTIVES OF MEETING
Through the SW Herts Group, the authorities (Dacorum, Hertsmere, St Albans,
Three Rivers and Watford) and Hertfordshire County Council are working with
relevant service providers to develop a closer relationship and better understanding
of the growth and infrastructure needs across the area.
The purpose of the meeting is to enable each authority to provide an update of their
current local plan position and long term growth ambitions and for infrastructure
providers to give an update of their position, highlighting any current or foreseeable
issues for the SW Herts districts. The aim is to liaise with infrastructure providers to
obtain a holistic vision of the infrastructure requirements for the SW Herts area.
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POSITION STATEMENT
Each Council’s latest Local Plan position statement has been provided in Appendix
1.
NOTES OF MEETING
1. Welcome and introductions
LW welcomed attendees and outlined the purpose of the meeting.
There was a discussion on the changes to HCC with the creation of the Growth and
Infrastructure Unit. It was noted that Matthew Wood would be re-joining the team to
support work on the new Garden Communities at Hemel east and GIlstone.
Action HCC: Structure diagram of Growth and Infrastructure Unit to be circulated
2. Minutes from last infrastructure provider update meeting in February 2018
All agreed the minutes circulated from the previous meeting in February 2018.
3. Update on SW Herts Joint Strategic Plans
CO gave a short presentation on the SW Herts Joint Strategic Plan (JSP).
LW asked whether the JSP boundary reflects the HCC Growth Team structure. The
answer from DH was that it does.
It was noted that future growth in SW Herts will be equivalent to the size of Swindon
(180,000-190,000) if the current levels of housing need continue.
DH asked for clarification on the timing of the JSP and how this related to individual
Local Plans. CO explained that the adoption was programmed for winter 2022 but it
won’t come in to effect/deliver for local plans until 2030. It will therefore inform the
LP review processes.
It was noted that the JSP was likely to need to consider secondary school provision,
but due to its more strategic nature, was unlikely to go down to the scale of
considering primary school needs.
Action HBC: Circulate CO slides on the SW Herts JSP.
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4. Update from HCC and discussions
It was confirm that for education matters, LPAs should use the Growth and
Infrastructure Team as the initial contact point to then speak to other teams. Main
contacts for SW Herts are Russel Monck and Martin Wells.
HCC provided the following school update.
Note: all current school provision is to
meet existing school place needs, rather than to address future growth.
St Albans
St Albans Katherine Warrington School in Harpenden
JR by local residents last year
Funding now agreed from Department of Education
Aim to open September
13ha site – bigger than standard requirement to allow expansion. There were
several anomalies with area – not flat, flooding, drainage etc. which meant it
was challenging.
HBC
New primary school in Borehamwood – discussions on precise site and potential
abnormal costs are still ongoing.
Bushey area – definite need - Local MP has met with Harvey Cohen (Portfolio
Holder)
Three Rivers
Croxley Danes is due to become operational in September 2019. TR is unsure
whether they will reach this deadline at the moment, currently in temporary
accommodation. This provision will only facilitate existing capacity levels.
Woodside Road Abbots Langley – primary school allocation not built out. LM asked
why this was and DH explained that currently the new site is not needed and that
expanding existing schools will meet the requirement. It is not expected to be
required within the next few years; it will become part of future allocations.
WBC, HBC and TRDC – all have a similar problem with secondary school capacity.
Looking at options through expansion etc.
South Oxhey doesn’t have any secondary in its area so cross boundary use
needed
Watford UTC could increase the age range to become a secondary school.
Issue – will need to identity sites early on in the Local Plan stages. Secondary
provision will need to be provided later on than primary.
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DH explained that from when dwellings are developed, the 0-5 year period the
current education facilities should be able to accommodate, then from the 5-8 year
period primary educations will hit the peak and then in 10-15 years secondary school
educations hit the peak.
The critical point for secondary school planning is the 5-8 year window.
Dacorum
No change from previous provision. Just updates.
Spencer’s Park Phase 2 - S106 has been signed for new primary school
Developer – paid land and a percentage of the build costs. Around 600
homes. There is a gap and options are being looking into.
Ongoing discussions regarding primary school provision at LA3: land at west
Hemel Hempstead
Education needs
VW – HCC are currently undertaking a mapping exercise to identify sites and
locations to provide a clearer picture of future needs for secondary education.
LW – Depends where we put growth and cross boundary area.
DH - Hertsmere currently meeting their needs and some of WBC as well. This
approach is likely to need to continue.
Pupil yields
LW – Asked if the 1FE per 500 dwellings ‘typical mix’ still applies. DH states this is
the same position at the moment but HCC are currently doing a review to look at the
latest demographics and they will circulate once complete.
Numbers are beginning to drop. For example Luton has a higher ratio of 1 per 350
dwellings. For Green belt housing sites with high level s of affordable housing and 3
and 4 bed units, the trigger can be less than 350. Typical mix is changing across the
county.
PD – You can’t assume though that flats will have no children as sometimes this is
all they can afford to live in within the current market. So Watford may have lower
thresholds for school and housing provision than previously assumed.
HCC also reviewing tool kit
There will be engagement with districts
Panel at HCC in May
June consultation
Action HCC: Circulate review of tool kit
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There is also a Local Plan engagement document being written by HCC. This will
also be completed in June 2019. This will cover both education and highways.
Action HCC: Circulate the Local Plan engagement document once completed
Funding and Delivery
DH confirmed:
HCC has a statutory duty to provide sufficient education places to serve
county needs
How education has enacted has changed over the years
HCC is the commissioner rather than provider
Most schools are not within HCC control, for example academies
Not as many primary school academies
Primary schools are happy to be under the HCC umbrella
New school Free schools, which are academies
How is education provided?
HCC runs a competition for Trusts to operate schools
HCC provide site and funding for the build of the school (often S106 etc.)
HCC makes a recommendation to the Secretary of State for who to award it to
If impossible to find an operator then HCC steps in
The majority of faith schools within Hertfordshire are Jewish or Catholic.
New free schools with faith designations are only allowed to offer 50% places
to faith pupils. This puts them off new academies.
St John’s in Watford is a 50% split
Government recently opened faith school applications process – will allow
bids for new voluntary aided schools which can offer 100% of places to faith
pupils.
To date there are no new faith schools planned in Hertfordshire.
Funding for new schools
There is an assumption that new developments will pay for all new primary
and secondary school needs
PD – Expresses concern over education provision being paid for by
developers but DH explained that this is the only way in which it can be done
and this is how other infrastructure works are paid for
The developer contributions are largely the best way
Need to look at CIL vs S106 for funding education - easier if the same
approach is taken across SW Herts
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5. Discussions and questions (ALL)
Question raised regarding whether we can change the traditional school design
structure. HCC confirmed that this can be done but there would have to be heavy
compromises which would conflict with the health agenda, for example playing fields
– there would need to be other uses in the area which would either be adjacent to
sites or close by. There could be the potential to share space with secondary
schools.
Urban School examples:
Ascot Road Community Free School and Lanchester Community Free School
o
These are both up and running in Watford
o
Smaller sites with offsite provision for the school
Community Use agreements are good for schools and for encouraging wider use of
facilities.
HCC have already reviewed site standards and HCC will provide these in revised
tool kit.
Regarding the question of whether schools which can be expanded could be
mapped, HCC Officers explained that this is not an easy task as academies may be
able to expand in principle but they don’t want to and are not under HCC control.
School options:
Different options in different areas.
Watford – few options of schools
Potters Bar – more scope in the existing and potential areas
Secondary – running out of options
The issue of whether ‘if we can manage to build these schools can we supply
teachers?’ was raised. HCC confirmed that they provide the sites, not the
employment of staff, which is out of their control.
6.
Actions Arising
Action HCC: Structure diagram of Growth and Infrastructure Unit to be circulated
Action HBC: Circulate CO slides on the SW Herts JSP
Action WBC: Will send timetable around for Local Plan
Action HCC: Circulate review of tool kit for comment
Action HCC: Circulate the Local Plan engagement document for comment
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7. Date of next meeting
Watford has agreed to host the next set of infrastructure meetings. Dates tbc.
8.
AOB (ALL)
None.
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Appendix 1
Local plan updates
Hertsmere:
Potential site for Housing and Employment consultation started in October
2018 and finished in December 2018. There was a huge response, of which
the Local Plan team are currently going through and analysing.
Publication has slipped from February 2020 to Spring 2020
Subsequent dates in LDS are as follows:
Submit in October 2020
Examination in Spring 2021
Adoption end of 2021
Hope to get the JSP before examination
New housing numbers 700dpa, currently 200dpa. This is a massive change
for Hertsmere and will require different growth options including green belt
release and urban extensions.
Dacorum:
We undertook an Issues and Options consultation on the new Local Plan in
November / December 2017. This document covered key issues for homes,
economy, environment and infrastructure. Consideration was given to potential
levels of growth needed (predominantly for housing and jobs) and how those levels
of growth could be accommodated. Key site options were also consulted upon (sites
of 50+ homes (previously submitted by landowners or developers) or employment
sites identified in the Employment Land Availability Assessment).
We are currently working on further evidence gathering with a focus on site
assessment work and identifying potential urban capacity.
The plan preparation timetable set out in our Local Development Scheme is:
Reg19 consultation - publication Aug/Sept 2019
Submission February 2020
Examination June 2020
Adoption February 2021
Against the Government’s Standard Methodology, the Council now have a housing
need figure of 1025 dwellings per year. This is a massive increase from the figure of
430dpa, which was the figure adopted in the 2013 Core Strategy.
Watford:
Completed issues and options
Explained policy options to members
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Similar to Dacorum
Preferred options by the end of 2019
Working on the HELAA
New housing figures 800dpa, currently 260dpa.
Running out of brownfield
Towns demographic is changing dramatically
Need to be thorough in showing why green belt release is necessary
We are currently processing responses to the Issues & Options consultation
alongside work on the Housing Employment Land Availability Assessment (HELAA)
to identify potential development sites. Initial policy discussions are taking place with
members and this will inform the preferred options consultation later this year.
Our Local Development Scheme is as follows:
Notification - December 2016
Issues and Options consultation - September –October 2018
First Draft Local Plan consultation (Preferred Options) September – October
2019
Publication - May 2020
Submission - September 2020
Examination - October 2020 - February 2021
Adoption - May 2021
Against the Government’s Standard Methodology, the council’s housing requirement
is 798 dwellings per annum. This is a significant increase from the adopted Local
Plan housing figure of 260 dwellings per annum and the existing delivery rates of
approx. 300 dwellings per annum. We have very few brownfield sites so maximising
density will be key for Watford.
St Albans
Schedule the same as previous meeting in February last year
Submission March 2019
Examination Summer 2019
Adoption Spring 2020
Housing numbers the same as for previous meeting. Standard method figures
now confirmed as 896 dpa.
Three Rivers
Site document consulted on – 25 extra sites
Currently going through responses
In process of deciding sites
Draft September - November 2019
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Submission March 2020
Adoption November - December 2020
New housing figure 620dpa, currently 180dpa
Three Rivers District Council undertook a non-statutory consultation on ‘Potential
Sites’ during October-December 2018; this consulted on all of the sites which were
put forward to the Council through various Call for Sites exercises, as well as
previously considered sites. The Strategic Housing Employment Land Availability
Assessment (SHELAA) process is ongoing and comments received from the
consultation are being fed back into the site assessment process, along with findings
from complete and ongoing evidence base studies. These assessments and the
evidence base will inform the decision-making process as to which sites are suitable
and deliverable to take forward to the draft publication of the Local Plan. No
decisions as to which sites will be taken forward to the draft publication have yet
been made.
The timetable for the preparation of the new Local Plan is set out below:
Draft publication – September-November 2019
Submission – February-March 2020
Examination – April-September 2020
Adoption – November-December 2020
Against the Government’s Standard Methodology, the Council now have a housing
need figure of 620 dwellings per year. This is a drastic increase from the figure of
180dpa, which was the figure adopted in the current Local Plan.
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