Affordable Housing In Malvern Hills District Supplementary
Planning Guidance
What is Supplementary Planning
Guidance?
The Malvern Hills District Local Plan
contains policies aimed at increasing the amount of affordable
housing provided within the District through the planning process.
The purpose of Supplementary Planning Guidance or SPG as it is
commonly referred to, is to provide additional information
explaining how Local Plan policies are implemented when planning
applications for new housing development are submitted by
landowners and developers.
Supplementary Planning Guidance is essentially local guidance
and does not have the same weight as the Local Plan. However, it is
regarded as an important supporting document for policies contained
in the Local Plan.
What does it contain?
Some highlights of the SPG are summarised below:
Definition of affordable housing
Affordable housing is housing provided for rent or sale, at a price
level which can be sustained by local people in housing need. It
can include subsided housing for rent, shared ownership and low
cost market housing.
Based on income levels as at the beginning of 2003 the
affordability level within Malvern Hills District for housing for
sale was estimated at £81,500. This figure has now been
revised. On the basis of data in the Annual Survey of Household
Incomes included within the Worcestershire Economic Assessment
2005/6, the affordability threshold for the year commencing 1st
October 2006 is estimated at £93,500. Above this cost open
market value housing is not considered to be generally available as
an outright purchase for a significant proportion of the District's
working population.
For rented housing, affordable rents relate to maximum Housing
Benefit eligibility needs.
- Definition of local housing need
A local
housing need exists where a household is financially unable to
obtain a dwelling in the open market and where they meet one of a
number of criteria relating to accommodation requirements, local
employment and family needs.
- Legislative and policy background planning policies on
affordable housing
There is clear policy support at national, regional and county
level for the provision of affordable housing through the planning
process. Policies CN2 (Providing Affordable Housing in New Housing
Development) and CN3 (Rural Exception Sites) of the Draft Malvern
Hills District Local Plan reflect this policy background.
- Thresholds for affordable housing
Policy
CN2 of the Draft Malvern Hills District Local Plan requires up to
half of all new housing development on sites of 0.5 hectares and
over, or 15 dwellings or more, in Malvern to be made available for
affordable housing.
For the rest of the District up to half of sites of 0.2 hectares,
or 5 dwellings or more, should be made available for affordable
housing.
- Funding for affordable housing
Affordable housing should be made available as an integral part of
the new housing development. Exceptionally a financial contribution
can be made by the landowner/developer to the District Council in
lieu of on-site provision, or off-site provision may be considered.
Financial contributions will be based on the Total Cost Indicator
(TCI) figures published annually by the Housing Corporation.
- Legal Agreements
All affordable housing provided within the District will be the
subject of a legal agreement which will set out the arrangements
for its delivery, normally to a Registered Social Landlord (RSL),
and guaranteeing that it remains affordable in perpetuity,
regardless of tenure.
Consultation
The draft Affordable Housing
SPG was consulted on from 16th January 2004 until 27th February
2004. Consultation on the Draft SPG including the publication of a
summary leaflet, was wide ranging and included all local
authorities within Worcestershire, other adjoining Districts,
Government Office for the West Midlands, Housing Corporation,
Countryside Agency, all town and parish councils and housing
associations. The consultation undertaken for the Draft SPG, which
included adverts in the local press and other publicity, has been
comparable with that undertaken to meet the statutory requirements
for consultation required under the legislation for development
(Local) plans.
A total of 34 responses were received from 9 respondents.
Following consideration of the responses received during the public
consultation stage, the SPG was adopted for Development Control
purposes at Planning Committee on the 1st June 2004.
Where can I see a copy of the Supplementary Planning
Guidance?
The Affordable Housing Supplementary
Planning Guidance is available to view at the following
locations:
You can also view the document from here- Affordable Housing
SPG
Also available is the Addendum (October
2006).
(A hard copy of the Affordable Housing SPG can be purchased
from our Customer Service Centres
at a cost of £10.00 plus £1 p+p).
