Housing Strategy 2011-2015 - North West Leicestershire District ...

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