The conclusion was a Sound Core Strategy, but there is much more to the West Berkshire Core Strategy Inspectors' Report than that.

It contributes to the debate regarding the 5% or 20% housing buffer. It also considers how the requirements of the SEA Regulations could be met. However it's the treatment of other housing matters that's of significant interest to strategic promoters and housebuilders alike.

In simple terms it has exposed the 'trap' between the Regional Strategy housing targets and the new objectively assessed housing needs required by the NPPF. Its effect is potentially very significant for housing promoters in areas of high housing demand - in particular the South East, the South West and East of England.

The Inspector found that despite acceding to the 10,500 homes target in the South East Plan, more recent household and population projections indicated that the actual (NPPF compliant) need was materially greater than the Regional Strategy targets.

Notwithstanding the Inspectors' conclusion that the planned provision in the Core Strategy is not justified by an NPPF compliant assessment, insufficient evidence had been presented to identify what the objectively assessed needs and demands of the area were. As a result, the Inspector took the view that the aims of the NPPF would be best achieved in the short term by the adoption of the Core Strategy, subject to commitments by the Council to review housing provision.

The West Berkshire Core Strategy will therefore start its life as a short term solution, based on an accepted need for review of housing provision. One could argue that strategic plan adopted against this backdrop doesn't provide the required levels of predictability or efficiency necessary to proactively drive the delivery of housing needed in West Berkshire.

It also exposed significant weaknesses with the application of the duty-to-cooperate, with evidence that cross-boundary housing provision within the housing market area being required.

All of the above serves to underline the importance of presenting a clear and well evidenced assessment of objective housing needs, presented as early as possible in the plan making process.

Had the Inspector had such evidence available the Core Strategy could have been made much stronger, more robust and long-term.