Affordable Housing provision will be expected to incorporate a mix of tenures taking account of the Council’s most up to date evidence on housing need. The Council will negotiate the tenure mix to be provided on a site, having regard to the affordable housing products defined within the National Planning Policy Framework, through the planning application process.

Lower provision may be permitted if it is demonstrated that the 35% and 40%, as appropriate referred to in I (a), (b) and (c) above, cannot be achieved due to viability reasons or where it would prejudice the need to secure other infrastructure priorities. Applicants seeking to justify a lower percentage level of affordable housing to that referred to in I (a), (b) and (c) above, will be required to provide a financial viability assessment as part of the planning application. Where agreement is not reached, external independent consultants, agreed by both the Council and applicant, will be appointed by the developer, to undertake further independent viability assessment. The applicant will be required to meet the costs of this independent assessment.

Affordable Housing should normally be provided on site, apart from in exceptional circumstances when agreed with the Council. Applicants will be required to provide justification as part of the planning application setting out the need for off-site provision or financial contributions in lieu to be made.

The affordable housing units should be integrated into the open market housing development using appropriate design methods, i.e. tenure blind, and ‘pepper-potted’ across the site in clusters appropriate to the size and scale of the development.

To secure the benefits of affordable housing for first and subsequent occupiers affordable rented and intermediate housing will be retained as affordable by means of an appropriate legal agreement or condition with the Council, or the subsidy will be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision.

For more information please see the District Plan