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n December, the government revised the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to make clear that councils that have an emerging plan at the ‘regulation 18’ or ‘regulation 19’ formal consultation stages, or have submitted one for examination, need only identify a four-year supply of housing sites.

However, three councils have in the past three weeks admitted that they have a housing land supply shortfall, despite being subject to the reduced four-year requirement.

Spelthorne Borough Council submitted its emerging plan for examination in November 2022 and agreed to a series of proposed main modifications to the plan last month following the examination.

However, the council has admitted it is unable to demonstrate a four-year housing land supply, stating in its latest published housing land supply position, published in March, that it can deliver 3.8 years of deliverable housing sites between 2023 and 2028.

Its total five-year housing requirement was 3,708 homes. A five-year supply of 2,780 left it with a deficit of 928 homes.

“The council is, therefore, unable to demonstrate a deliverable four… year housing land supply against the current five year housing land supply requirement of 618 dwellings using the standard method for calculating housing need and including a 20 per cent buffer”, the position stated.

The Surrey council’s housing land supply has fluctuated significantly in the last several years.

According to Planning’s Housing Land Supply Index, the authority’s previous position, published in February 2023, stated that it could demonstrate a 4.6 year supply of housing land against a five-year requirement as of 1 April 2022.

However, in an appeal decision published in December 2023 - before the introduction of the four-year requirement - an inspector reported that the appellant and the council suggested that the housing land supply position was between 2.79 and 3.52 years.

Meanwhile, Sheffield City Council, which submitted its emerging plan for examination in October 2023, admitted in its latest published housing land supply position that it could demonstrate just 3.01 years’ supply of housing land against its four-year requirement.

The city’s annual local housing requirement is 3,038 homes, taking into account projected

household growth, local affordability ratios and the 35 per cent uplift for England’s largest towns and cities, the position stated, giving a total five-year requirement of 15,192 homes.

“Sheffield is able to demonstrate a net five-year deliverable supply of 9,165 homes, equating to 3.01 years,” it concluded.

Sheffield City Council could demonstrate a 2.87-year housing land supply as of 1 April 2023, according to its previous published position.

Elsewhere, North Somerset Council, which published its emerging plan for a consultation in November, was found to be unable to demonstrate a sufficient housing land supply at appeal.

Applicant Litfield Land appealed against the authority’s decision taken on 16 February 2023 to refuse outline planning permission to demolish a pub and to erect ten homes on brownfield land in the village of Worle near Weston-super-Mare.

In his appeal decision, issued on 15 March, inspector Jonathan Bore said that in the council’s district “only” had “3.2 to 3.5 years housing supply”.

The authority’s last published position stated it could demonstrate 4.8 years of deliverable housing sites as of 1 April 2021, but this latest appeal shows that housing land supply in the district has since slipped further.

A North Somerset Council spokesperson said: “North Somerset Council cannot currently demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, but we are at an advanced stage of progressing a new local plan.

“This plan aims to deliver more affordable homes, create sustainable, accessible and attractive places and provide more opportunities for local jobs near to where people live in North Somerset.”

They added: “The response from the regulation 19 pre-submission plan is currently being assessed, before we submit the plan to the secretary of state for examination later this year.”

Spelthorne Borough Council declined to comment. Sheffield City Council has also been approached for comment.

Housing Land Supply Updates:

Devon: In an appeal decision, an inspector said that East Devon District Council had not disputed an appellant advising "that supply sits at 4.68 years”.

Wiltshire: In an appeal decision, an inspector said that Wiltshire Council stated it could demonstrate a five year housing land supply, but did not specify an exact figure.

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