The existing Hillingdon Local Plan sets out the council’s policy approach to:
- maximising housing suppl
- provision of affordable housing
- protecting existing homes
- meeting housing needs in terms of type and size
- providing housing for different groups including older people, student housing, homeless, and gypsy and traveller sites
- accessible and adaptable housing.
Existing approach
Housing is a key priority in the existing Local Plan. The existing Local Plan sets out where housing is to be developed. Most delivery is in large sites below the A40 including in the areas of Uxbridge, the Hayes / West Drayton Corridor, the Heathrow Opportunity Area, with a smaller proportion in sites north of the A40. Key housing policies include:
- Strategic Policy H1 states that the Council will meet and exceed its minimum strategic dwelling requirement, where this can be achieved, in accordance with other Local Plan policies
- Policy DMH7 requires a minimum 35% affordable housing on all self-contained housing developments of 10 units or more, as well as a preferred tenure split
- Policy DMH 4 sets limits on the conversion of homes into flats to protect the supply of large family homes
- Policy DMH 5 sets limits on houses in multiple occupation
- Policy DMH 6 controls garden and backland development to protect garden space and impacts on character and amenity.
Key challenges
Key challenges to delivering housing are thought to include:
- meeting new housing targets which are set by the new London Plan during the plan-making period. The new London Plan will seek to meet the Government’s new standard housing need figure of around 880,000 homes within greater London over ten years, a large increase over the current London Plan target for 522,000 homes over ten years. A proportion of this target will be allocated to Hillingdon based on our development capacity
- high demand for homes of a sufficient quality and type
- the cost of housing in Hillingdon is high and increasing and there are more than 3,400 households on the social housing register. The ratio of median earnings to house prices in Hillingdon is 11.95 which is significantly higher than the England average at 7.8
- hillingdon’s population is growing at a higher rate than the London average. Between 2011 and 2021, the population of Hillingdon increased by 11.7%, from just over 273,900 to around 305,900 (Census 2023). That was a greater increase than London (7.7%) and the overall population of England (6.6%)
- meeting the strategic target for 50 per cent of all new homes to be genuinely affordable, which consists of both low-cost rented homes and intermediate housing products. The viability of delivering this often needs to be balanced against the need for additional considerations, such as different housing sizes, types, design and new infrastructure
- while Hillingdon is a large borough, there are significant constraints on development, such as local character, airports, and large quantities (42%) of Green Belt.
What the new Local Plan could achieve
A key commitment from the council strategy is for safe and strong communities, where Hillingdon is a safe place with resilient, strong communities with access to good quality, affordable housing.
The Local Plan will need to be updated to meet the new London Plan housing targets and to identify new locations for development.
The new Local Plan will also need to seek a range of housing types, sizes, accessibility and affordability to meet the needs of different groups.
New housing will help tackle inequality and overcrowding, create sustainable and resilient neighbourhoods, improve health and wellbeing and secure homes suitable for individuals and families on low and middle incomes.
The Local Plan needs to work towards meeting the London Plan strategic target for affordable homes.