Policy information sourced from the Tandridge District Core Strategy

Affordable Housing

This is an interim holding policy pending the adoption of a substitute policy in an Affordable Housing DPD. Annex 3 should be read in conjunction with this policy.

The Council will require that a proportion of new dwellings built in the District will be affordable, to be available to people on lower incomes, unable to afford housing at the prevailing market price or who need to live within the District.

The overall target for affordable housing will be 50 dwellings per year during the period 2007 to 2012. The Council will review the need and the target at regular intervals. In order to maximise the supply of affordable housing the Council will require:

  • on sites within the built up areas of 15 units or more or sites of or greater than 0.5 hectare; and
  • on sites within the rural areas (see Annex 3) of 10 units or more

that up to 34% of the dwellings will be affordable.

The actual provision will be negotiated on a site by site basis after taking into account market and site conditions.

Affordable housing may be in the form of social rented or intermediate or a mix of both. The Council may require up to 75% of the affordable housing on a site to be social rented, the precise proportions will be agreed with the Council having regard to the specific needs at the time and within the area.

There will be a presumption that affordable housing will be provided on the development site, however in some circumstances the Council may accept an off site contribution on another site provided by the developer; such alternative site may trigger a requirement for affordable housing itself, such a requirement will be on top of the alternative site provision. The Council will retain the discretion to accept such alternative provision, particularly having regard to the need to contribute to mixed communities.

If an alternative site is not available and the Council and the developer both consider that it would be preferable that a financial contribution should be made towards affordable housing provision on another site within the District, the Council will require the developer to enter into a legal agreement to secure that provision. The financial contribution will be broadly equivalent in value to the on-site provision.

For more information please see the Tandridge District Core Strategy