Agenda with Maps and Applications (21Mb) - pdf - Selby District ...

2.21 Affordable Housing
2.21.1 The NPPF paragraph 50 states that in order to deliver a wide choice of
high quality homes, widen opportunities for home ownership and create
sustainable, inclusive and mixed communities, local planning
authorities should have identified that affordable housing is needed, set
policies for meeting this need on site, unless off-site provision or a
financial contribution of broadly equivalent value can be robustly
justified and the agreed approach contributes to the objective of
creating mixed and balanced communities.
2.21.2 Policy H4 of the Regional Spatial Strategy requires the region to
increase its provision of Affordable Housing in order to address the
needs of local communities. It sets a provisional target of over 40 % in
North Yorkshire Districts.
2.21.3 Policy SHB/1B (9) states that proposals must make provision for “a mix
of dwelling types and of affordable units, for both rent and sale. Targets
for affordable housing will be set when the site is released for
development”.
2.21.4 The Council’s Developer Contributions Supplementary Planning
Document sets out the Council’s approach for the implementation of
the policy for Affordable Housing and requires that on sites over 15
dwellings or over 0.5 ha in area the starting point on negotiation is for
40% of the dwellings to be affordable with a tenure split of 50:50 social
rent and intermediate.
2.21.5 The application is for 100 units and therefore 40% of the units would
equate to 40 affordable units. The submitted Heads of Terms state
that a 40% provision would be provided across the two sites which
would accord with policy requirements, although the tenure mix, types,
sizes, location etc this is to be agreed. Policy Officers have considered
this and would support the provision of 40% on site affordable housing
provision.
2.21.6 Notwithstanding this the developers have offered an alternative
approach in response to comments from local councillors whereby they
would offer 25% affordable housing to be provided on-site with the
difference of the remaining 15% provided to Selby District Council as a
financial contribution the exact figure of which would be determined at
reserved matters stage and this would be to provide local infrastructure
projects restricted to Sherburn in Elmet and off-site affordable housing.
2.21.7 There is no policy context on which to support this alternative approach
and as set out above Policy Officers have clearly set out the reasons
why this approach should not be supported as it is not policy compliant
and is unlawful. The Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010
introduced a limitation on planning obligations (in respect of
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