Chapter 4 Affordable Housing Thresholds

4.

Affordable Housing Delivery Affordable Housing Thresholds

4.1

The table below provides a simplified overview of affordable housing thresholds to aid interpretation. It must be read alongside the detailed provisions of this SPD and the Local Plan policies which take precedence.

Table 6: Affordable Housing Thresholds Summary Table Site Type

Development Type

Brownfield Sites

 10+ Units (Net)  Site Area ≥ 0.5 Hectares (‘Major Development’)

Greenfield Sites Non-Greenfield green belt sites/ released from Green Belt

Affordable Housing Required (By Unit) 30% (20% Build to Rent) 50% (20% Build to Rent) 45% (35% Build to Rent)

4.2

In line with Local Plan Policy H2, the Council will require at least 30% affordable housing units on all schemes of 10 units (net) or more. Affordable housing will also be sought from sites of 0.5 hectares or more, in line with the national definition of major development, regardless of the number of units. Greenfield sites will be expected to deliver at least 50% affordable housing.

4.3

For major residential proposals on non-greenfield sites (including Grey Belt) involving land released from the Green Belt through plan preparation or review, or on sites in the Green Belt subject to a planning application, 45% affordable housing will be required.7

4.4

The minimum amount of affordable housing to be delivered should be calculated based on the net total amount of provided dwellings. The calculation will be rounded up to the nearest whole affordable unit. When calculating the tenure split, the number of Social / Affordable Rent units will be rounded up to the nearest whole unit.8

4.5

As set out in Policy H2, the Council will have regard to the whole development site in determining the appropriate level of affordable housing provision on-site. This includes where an applicant has sub-divided, fragmented or phased a site or it is not being developed to its full potential so as to fall under the affordable housing threshold. This ensures that the affordable housing requirement reflects the capacity of the whole site and prevents artificial subdivision intended to fall below policy thresholds.

4.6

Any applications for major residential development which do not meet the relevant affordable housing thresholds above or criteria set out below, or where this is not

7 This is in line with the NPPF which requires that before development plan policies are updated to reflect the

green belt ‘golden rules’ the affordable housing contribution is 15 percentage points above the highest existing requirement that would otherwise apply, subject to a cap of 50%.

8 Affordable housing numbers will be rounded to the nearest whole unit based on the net dwelling requirement.

The 75% Social Rent / Affordable Rent: 25% Intermediate tenure split will then be applied, with rounding discussed on a case by case basis to ensure the policy requirement and tenure priorities are met.

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provided onsite, will be subject to viability assessment in line with the approach set out further below.9 4.7

The Council’s Local Plan affordable housing requirement is measured on a per unit basis. Where a form of development attracts a policy requirement to provide affordable housing, but does not provide self-contained units, the quantum of affordable housing required will be measured by floor area taking into account the circumstances of the case.

9 However, where development takes place on land situated in, or released from, the Green Belt which is subject

to the NPPF ‘Golden Rules’, site specific viability assessment should not be undertaken for the purpose of reducing developer contributions, including affordable housing.

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