The attached report seeks approval for the Draft Affordable Housing and Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for public consultation.

It is recommended that City Executive Board:-

(1)   Approves the Draft Affordable Housing and Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document for public consultation;

(2)   Approves the Draft Affordable Housing and Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document as a material consideration in determining planning applications;

(3)   Authorises the Head of City Development to make any necessary editorial corrections to the document prior to publication.

The Head of City Development submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) concerning the Draft Affordable Housing and Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). Adrian Roche presented the report to the Board and provided some further background and context.

A further amendment (italics) to the SPD, as a matter of clarification, was submitted as follows:-

“Large housing sites (capacity for 10+ homes)

2.13. Where a site has capacity for 10 dwellings or more, Policy HP3 of the Sites and Housing Plan will apply. Policy HP3 requires on site provision of affordable housing. Applications are to be determined in accordance with the development unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Exceptionally there may be proper planning reasons justifying a departure from HP3 on the basis that those planning reasons constitute material considerations indicating otherwise. In those circumstances the Council will ensure that there is no net reduction in affordable housing provided – i.e. provision on an alternative site is in addition to any affordable housing ordinarily required on that site. It is, however, to be stressed that determination of an application in such a manner would be a departure from HP3

2.14    When applying Policy HP3 to the tenure split, including the cascade approach where triggered, the applicant will be expected to round up the number of affordable units overall, and social rented units, to the nearest whole number.”

Adrian Roche explained that the amendment set out above would only come into play in exceptional circumstances. The SPD was in any case going out for consultation.

The Board considered the report and proposed amendment and confirmed that it was committed to affordable housing onsite, as part of a mixed community, and that the aim was to maximise the number of affordable units that could be delivered. It noted that the SPD provided guidance that was useful when going into either an appeal of negotiations.

Resolved to:-

(1)    Approve the Draft Affordable Housing and Planning Obligations SPD as amended above for public consultation;

(2)    Approve the Draft Affordable Housing and Planning Obligations SPD as amended as a material consideration in determining planning applications;

(3)    Authorise the Head of City development to make any necessary editorial corrections to the document prior to publication;

(4)    Ask officers to investigate means by which the Council could strengthen its commitment to onsite provision.