Policy information sourced from the The Dartford Plan

Policy M7: Affordable Housing

Residential development should aim for a genuine mix of housing to support inclusive neighbourhoods, with a range of rental and ownership options to meet local needs. Affordable housing should be provided in the following circumstances:

  • In the urban area, at developments proposing a gain of 15 dwellings or more.
  • South of the A2 and/ or in the Green Belt, at developments proposing a gain of 10 dwellings or more.
  • At residential development in the Borough of 0.5ha in size or more.
  • Any site proposed and justified in principle on the basis of delivering dwellings that are all rented affordable housing meeting priority local requirements will be supported, where it is sustainable in location and appropriate in scale.

Where residential developments are required to provide affordable housing in accordance with criterion 1, these should:

  • Meet a requirement for 35% of all dwellings to be defined as affordable housing, except in Central Dartford where 20% applies or (exceptionally) satisfy criterion d. below.
  • Provide a mix of affordable housing tenures, with an expectation of a higher proportion of social/ affordable rented provision than intermediate affordable housing products. Based on the most recent evidence, affordable housing would comprise to be four sevenths social/ affordable rented provision and three sevenths intermediate.
  • Make provision on-site (unless off-site provision would result in public benefits).
  • Exceptionally, and where it is clearly demonstrated that the costs of the development consistent with criteria 2a to 2c render it financially unviable, a cascade approach to affordable housing provision will be applied:
    • Firstly, a variation in the guideline mix of affordable tenures may be accepted,
    • Then, off site delivery of policy compliant affordable housing provision may be appropriate,
    • Then, if demonstrated provision as set out in i) and ii) cannot occur, a lower total amount of affordable housing delivered on-site may be considered, where shown with robust viability assessment that this is the minimum viable reduction in affordable housing provision.
    • Finally, failing i) to iii), a financial contribution made equivalent to the cost of offsite provision in the Borough where maximising affordable housing delivery.
  • Ensure that design layouts and facilities are not segregated, with no barriers to access or differences in appearance between different tenures.

Policy information sourced from the The Dartford Plan