Hingham has a allocation of 120 new homes (including 16 existing commitment), however the consideration of Windfall sites as being “acceptable in principle” – of sites of up to 3 homes within each parish would mean the ACTUAL homes that will be delivered is potentially unquantifiable (Policy 7.5 is ambiguous in its meaning and needs clarification).
Housing figures are not discussed inline with actual need within the community or taking into account the number of vacant properties already in existence.
Hingham Town Council have been told that “deliverability” is a key component to housing development site allocation. The Council would like to sate that just because something is deliverable it does not mean that it is right for a community, and there are concerns regarding the push to deliver housing development “en masse” which could potentially overwhelm the town’s facilities and infrastructure. The GNLP runs until 2038 and the Town Council are of the opinion that a phased approach to delivering smaller developments, as and when needed, with a higher focus on affordability for local people would be a more acceptable and appropriate approach.
Hingham Town Council object to any new sites being allocated for house building in revised local plans to 2038 until all existing allocations in current core strategies have been developed.