Housing Strategy 2011-2015 - North West Leicestershire District ...
Housing Strategy 2011-2015 - North West Leicestershire District ...
Housing Strategy 2011-2015 - North West Leicestershire District ...
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<strong>District</strong>, look good, work well, are environmentally sensitive and promise to stand the test of time.<br />
However, the requirements of the design initiative are proving challenging for some developers,<br />
leading to delays in the planning process.<br />
Empty Property Grants have been offered on long term empty property as incentives to owners to<br />
return the house to occupation. Funding for these grants was limited but they encouraged owners to<br />
make contact with the Council. There was a significant drop in the number of owners contacting the<br />
Council when funding for the grants ran out.<br />
A priority of the Council is to secure the revitalisation of Coalville Town Centre. This will involve<br />
attracting additional businesses and retailers into the town centre. However, such improvements will<br />
only be achieved if it is commercially viable. Whilst a significant amount of new housing development<br />
can help to achieve this by increasing the size of the local population, this will take place over a long<br />
period of time. Furthermore, the current economic climate will, in the short term, make it more difficult<br />
to attract the investment in to the town centre required.<br />
4.1.3 What are we doing and plan to do that is sustainable?<br />
Our priorities<br />
• There are new homes suitable to meet different aspirations and needs<br />
– Affordable housing is available in rural communities<br />
– Property sizes and types reflect needs & aspirations including smaller accommodation<br />
and bungalows<br />
– Supported housing is available<br />
– Gypsies, travellers and travelling showpeople have access to good quality site provision<br />
• The best use is made of existing housing, including empty homes and under-occupied homes<br />
• New homes are well-designed and sustainable<br />
What we are already doing……<br />
• Our Affordable <strong>Housing</strong> Supplementary Planning Document requires a choice of homes in new<br />
developments. While it is recognised that smaller properties are required to meet the housing<br />
requirements of the growing number of smaller households, the Council will also seek to provide<br />
properties that not only meet current needs but offer flexibility in the future should household<br />
composition change.<br />
• The council requires that any new housing developments over 5 or 15 homes (depending on the<br />
area) must contribute a proportion of new affordable homes. This requirement is described in our<br />
Affordable <strong>Housing</strong> Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) which has recently been revised<br />
and adopted based on a viability assessment (we require a lower proportion of homes<br />
for affordability but a higher threshold in some areas)<br />
• The issue of housing growth, both in terms of numbers and location to meet future needs,<br />
including the amount and type of affordable housing, are matters which will be addressed in the<br />
Core <strong>Strategy</strong>. A <strong>Leicestershire</strong>-wide study currently underway, will help to establish new targets<br />
and we will consider the outcome of this in delivering our strategy.<br />
• The Council has worked with <strong>Leicestershire</strong> partners to develop a local investment plan (LIP) for<br />
affordable homes - settlements with populations under 3,000, where a housing need has been<br />
identified, have been highlighted as priority areas. The <strong>Leicestershire</strong> & Rutland Rural <strong>Housing</strong><br />
<strong>Housing</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong>