Issue - meetings

The government has introduced changes to National Planning Practice Guidance in the wake of a Written Ministerial Statement (WMS) on whether local planning authorities can continue to seek developer contributions (for affordable housing) from development proposals of ten or fewer dwellings.  The introduction of this approach will restrict our ability to meet the local demand for affordable housing.  It will further exacerbate need and over time has the potential to significantly impact on our role as the local housing authority.

In response, the Council prepared a position statement that set out the justification and evidence for its continued application of its own adopted policy, which allows the Council to access contributions from proposals of five or more dwellings.  Following recent appeal decisions we have revised our position statement so that our justification and evidence is clearer and concise. 

The Committee:-

(1)            Considered the situation relating to this matter in the wake of the publication of the written Ministerial Statement and recent planning appeal Inspector decision letters; and

(2)            Subject to a minor amendment agreed by the Committee, it was agreed to adopt the Statement on the Exemption of small sites from Development Contribution (Affordable Housing), as the Council’s position on the written Ministerial Statement for deployment in negotiations on developments on small sites and in any associated planning appeals.

Following a Written Ministerial Statement (WMS) on the question of local planning authorities seeking developer contributions for affordable housing from developments of ten or fewer dwellings, the Committee were asked to consider the Council’s response, setting out the justification and evidence for its continued application of its own adopted policy.

The Committee discussed the likelihood of the policy being accepted by planning appeal Inspectors and it was acknowledged that based on past experiences (in this and neighbouring boroughs) it would be difficult to predict how successful this policy would be.  However the Council believed that this more focused and concise statement could tip the balance in the Council’s favour.  It was also noted that the Council had struggled to meet its affordable housing target and small windfall sites made an important contribution to the delivery of affordable homes. 

Having considered the proposed policy it was agreed that paragraph 3.8, first line would be amended to read:

‘Therefore, the smaller sites, yielding between 5-10 dwellings make up a sizable proportion of the current supply…’

It was confirmed that the policy would take immediate effect, and accordingly the Committee:

(1)            Considered the situation relating to this matter in the wake of the publication of the written Ministerial Statement and recent planning appeal Inspector decision letters; and

(2)            Subject to a minor amendment set out above, it was agreed to adopt the Statement on the Exemption of small sites from Development Contribution (Affordable Housing), as the Council’s position on the written Ministerial Statement for deployment in negotiations on developments on small sites and in any associated planning appeals.