Policy information sourced from the Dartford Development Policies Plan

DP9: Local Housing Needs

Residential development will not normally be permitted where it does not deliver an appropriate mix of affordable housing types and tenure to reflect local needs and site-specific/ financial circumstances in line with Core Strategy Policy CS19:1 (and criterion 2 below). In order to address significant need, weight will be given to proposals for affordable rented housing meeting priority local requirements, if the development is sustainable in location and appropriate in scale.

The Local Planning Authority will expect the provision of affordable housing to be on-site. In the exceptional circumstances when it can be justified that this would not be viable or practical, or where off-site provision would result in public benefits, provision on an alternative site in Dartford Borough may be considered. Where it is demonstrated that this cannot be provided, a commuted sum may be accepted in lieu of on-site or off-site affordable housing provision towards either delivery on an alternative site or other affordable housing initiatives. The commuted sum should be equivalent to the financial contribution were the affordable housing to be provided on site.

Starter Homes

Developers should aim to provide a proportion of Starter Homes in reasonably sized development, where sites are large enough and able to make Starter Home provision in addition to on-site affordable rented accommodation and other affordable tenures. Development sites where all housing wholly meets the government definition of Starter Homes will normally be permitted on vacant and surplus brownfield land consistent with Policy DP6:2 and 3, where of high quality design, and where appropriate provision is made to necessary infrastructure.

Custom Build Dwellings

All developments that include housing are encouraged to allocate and deliver a proportion of the site as plots for custom build dwellings, where there is evidence of local need for custom build sites.

For more information please see the Development Policies Plan