it will be interesting to see how the planning officers get round there own planning policy
Affordable Housing
4.1.
Context
There is a pressing need for affordable housing in Conwy. The Council has undertaken a Housing Market Assessment that demonstrates there is a need for affordable dwellings.
4.2.
The need for affordable housing is a material planning consideration and an essential element in contributing to community regeneration and social inclusion. All new residential developments, including conversions and mixed use schemes will be considered for developer provision or contributions.
4.3.
Justification
The detailed policy basis and justification for seeking developer provision or contributions in respect of Affordable Housing for local needs is set out in:-
4.3.1.
National planning policy guidance:-
Planning Policy Wales (2010)
TAN 2 – Planning and Affordable Housing
4.3.2.
Deposit Three Towns Forum Development Plan, notably Policy HOU/2 – Affordable Housing for Local Need
4.3.3.
Three Towns Forum Housing Market Assessment Phase 1 (2007)
4.3.4.
Conwy Affordable Housing Delivery Statement (2007-2011)
4.3.5.
LDP Background Paper 9: Conwy Affordable Housing Viability Study (2010)
4.3.6.
LDP Background Paper 23: Affordable Housing Needs Calculation (2010)
4.4.
Threshold for Provision
Affordable Housing Requirement
The deposit Three Towns Forum Development Plan (Policy HOU2) outlines the need for affordable housing and states that the Council will seek affordable housing provision on all residential developments (i.e. 1 dwelling and above).
4.5.
The expectation is that the affordable housing will be provided on-site as part of the development. However, off-site provision or commuted payments will be acceptable for development proposals consisting of 3 or fewer dwellings and may be acceptable for proposals consisting of 3 or more dwellings in exceptional circumstances, provided there is sufficient justification.
4.6.
The reasoned justification for Policy HOU2 of the deposit Local Development Plan states that the Council will seek to secure a minimum of 30% affordable housing on all residential developments.
4.7.
The table below provides an overview to Policy HOU/2, showing at a glance what type of housing (in terms of affordable and market) is acceptable at locations within the Plan area:
Table: Guide to Policy HOU/2 of the LDP
* No AHLN need will be permitted outside the settlement boundary of Trefriw due to physical constraints
Notes:
Minimum and maximum levels will be subject to viability testing.
Off-site commuted sums will be acceptable on 3 dwellings or fewer for schemes in the Urban Development Strategy Area, Llanrwst and Tier 1 main villages or on schemes greater than 3 dwellings in justified circumstances.
4.8.
The Council supports the creation of sustainable, mixed and balanced communities. In order to avoid the negative implications of social exclusion, affordable homes within housing developments should be evenly distributed across the site and not disproportionally allocated to the periphery or in one particular area. The Council will require affordable homes to be grouped together in clusters of no more than 5-10 properties.
4.9.
Viability
The general presumption is that the cost of providing affordable housing will be offset in the negotiation of the land purchase or option price. Where an applicant proposes to demonstrate that there are particular costs (e.g. abnormal costs, requirements for transport infrastructure, community facilities, open space or sustainable construction) that cannot be offset by depreciating the land value or where they cannot be recouped in the open market sale price of the new homes, a financial appraisal will have to be supplied.
4.10.
The Council accepts that housing delivery must be maintained and if, following the completion of a financial appraisal, a developer is able to demonstrate genuine viability problems, a revision may be agreed either to the overall scale of affordable housing provision, or to the property mix and/or tenure type.