Decision details

At the request of the Overview & Scrutiny Panel (Social Well-being), the Cabinet is asked to consider and respond to the findings and final recommendations of the Affordable Housing Working Group.

That during the development of the Housing Strategy for 2016-19 and the Local Plan to 2036:

  i.  The Council should actively promote the provision of affordable housing on exceptions sites to Town and Parish Councils.

  ii.  Where a Parish Council does not support an exceptions site, the Council should continue to fulfil its duty to meet identified affordable housing need.

  iii.  A systematic assessment should be carried out of all land to identify potential sites for affordable housing to then be matched to needs (Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment).

  iv.  The threshold for developments on which on-site affordable housing can be sought should be lowered from 15 to 10.

  v.  Agree to take legal advice to explore options to protect local houses for local people on rural development schemes through, amongst other things, covenants, joint ventures and charitable mechanisms.

The Working Group was established by the Overview and Scrutiny (Social Well-being) Panel and it was agreed at the Group’s last meeting that its report and recommendations would be submitted formally to the Social Well-being Panel. The Panel subsequently endorsed the Group’s findings and recommendations and requested that the Cabinet consider and respond to these. 

None considered.