Housing Delivery Test
The Housing Delivery Test is an annual measure of housing delivery which compares ‘total net homes delivered’ against ‘number of homes required’. As the Council’s Core Strategy was adopted in 2011 it was considered out-of-date (over 5 years from adoption) part way through the calculation. This meant that some of the calculation was made against the Government’s local housing need figures. This resulted in a significant increase from the Core Strategy target of 180 dwellings per year. As such, the Council was retrospectively judged against a target it was not aware of at the time.
The latest Housing Delivery Test Result was published by the Secretary of State in January 2022. Three Rivers scored 46% and in response to this, the Council has produced a Housing Delivery Test Action Plan. By preparing an action plan the Council is positively responding to the challenge of increasing its housing delivery.
The Action Plan analyses the reasons for the under-delivery of new homes and sets out actions to improve housing delivery within the District. The actions identified in the Action Plan aim to stimulate delivery, however action will also be required by others, particularly landowners, housebuilders and registered providers, to respond to this challenge and significantly increase the level of house building.
The Action Plan can be downloaded below. It contains a summary of relevant policy, analysis of housing delivery, looks at the actions taken by the Council to date and identifies actions the Council should implement going forwards.